Smith County board approves routine contracts, bids and fees; chair says he will step down as board chairman

The Smith County Board of Education on Monday moved through routine business, approving bids for fuel and janitorial supplies, authorizing school fees and personnel contracts, and voting to purchase Chromebooks and policy recommendations. During the meeting the presiding chair announced he will resign as chairman of the school board and said he plans to run for another board term.

The chair told the board he intended to run for the school board “one more time” but said he is resigning as chairman and asked members to consider who should be elected at the annual reorganization next month. He also noted that the superintendent’s contract runs out next June—“that’s roughly 10 months”—and urged the board to begin planning for that timeline.

Board members approved the consent agenda and several new‑business items by voice and roll call votes. A roll call on school fees recorded affirmative responses from the members present (Mister Lewis, Mister Tess, Mister Ingram, Mister McCaleb, Mister Taylor, Mister Manning, Mister McDonald and the chair), and motions to approve the diesel fuel bid and janitorial supplies were also approved after roll calls that recorded members present voting in the affirmative.

The board voted to authorize a contract with Heather Tettleman to serve as a speech‑language pathologist assistant. During discussion a board member noted she was not currently on staff and that hiring her directly on contract could be about “$20 an hour cheaper than if you go to a company,” and members said the number of IEP hours would determine actual weekly hours. The motion to approve the contract was moved and seconded and carried by roll call.

Members also approved an updated pay scale for the upcoming year. Discussion of that item included adding stipends for activities such as flag football and an assistant coach to ensure sufficient participation and program support.

The board approved the purchase of Chromebooks for students after the motion and roll call. Board paperwork and an annual evaluation for the director were noted as on file; members did not request extended discussion on the director evaluation at the meeting.

The meeting included a public/staff comment period in which a speaker identified as JR requested time to describe after‑school programming and supplemental funding considerations. JR said he had consulted other systems and raised legal and operational questions about running programs and supplementing pay; the board agreed to revisit the matter at the next meeting and directed staff to return with more specifics.

The chair indicated the board would move to executive session for the lone remaining item, clarified again that his resignation as chair will be addressed at next month’s reorganization (and that any member may be nominated), and then adjourned the meeting following a final motion and vote.

Actions taken at the meeting were routine procurement and personnel approvals; the board did not adopt new policy changes or initiate litigation during the session. The board scheduled follow‑up on after‑school programming and anticipatory planning related to the superintendent’s contract expiration.