Votes at a glance: Cheatham County Board approves contracts, marquee funding, director's contract and policy revisions

The Cheatham County Board of Education approved several routine and several substantive items during its roadshow meeting at a district high school. Key outcomes included setting the out‑of‑county tuition fee at $0 for the 2025–26 academic year, renewing the ESS substitute‑teacher contract, authorizing funding for middle‑school marquees, approving a background‑investigations policy on second reading, adopting the 2025–26 board meeting schedule and approving the director of schools contract.

Out‑of‑county tuition fee The board voted to set the out‑of‑county tuition fee at $0 for the 2025–26 academic year. Motion: “to set the out of county tuition fee at 0 for the academic year 2025‑2026.” Method: voice/roll call as recorded by the board clerk. Outcome: approved. Notes: Board members clarified that to waive tuition the fee must be set to 0 rather than merely stating it will not be charged.

Substitute teacher contract (ESS) The board approved a one‑year contract with ESS for substitute teacher services. Motion: “to approve the ESS contract as presented.” Mover: Ms. Locke. Second: Mr. Harden. Method: voice/roll call. Outcome: approved. Notes: District staff said ESS has been the district's substitute provider for many years and is actively working to increase substitute availability.

Middle‑school marquees ($180,000) The board authorized $180,000 from Fund 141 (capital fund for excess tax collections) to purchase marquees for the district's middle schools and use existing placement sites. Motion: “approve middle school marquees from Fund 141 for $180,000.” Mover/Second: motion made and seconded (names not specified in the transcript). Method: roll call. Outcome: approved. Notes: Facilities staff presented proposed designs and said marquees will use existing placement; the board said a marquee for Chaney was unveiled earlier that day.

Policy revision — background investigations (second reading) The board approved a revision to the background investigations policy on second reading. Motion: “to approve revision of policy 5.118, background investigations as presented on second reading.” Mover: Mr. Habs. Second: Ms. Locke. Outcome: approved by voice vote. Notes: District staff said the revision formalizes existing background‑check requirements and incorporates legal requirements.

Board meeting schedule 2025–26 The board approved the proposed meeting and work‑session calendar for 2025–26 as circulated in the packet. Motion: to approve the board meeting schedule for 2025–26 as presented. Outcome: approved by voice vote.

Director of schools contract The board approved a contract to appoint Stacy Bloomfield (recorded in the packet as the director of schools hire) to the director of schools position and approved the contract as presented. Motion: to accept the director's contract as presented. Method: roll call. Outcome: approved; the chair announced the roll call showed unanimous yes votes from members present. Notes: The board's legal counsel said the contract incorporates the terms requested by the board and recommended approval.

Other routine business The board approved a consent agenda (including minutes and equipment disposals) and several recognitions and presentations during the meeting.

Votes and records: The transcript records voice votes for several items and recorded roll calls for others. Where individual roll‑call votes were read aloud, the transcript shows members voting yes; where only a voice vote is recorded the clerk announced “ayes have it.”