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Jackson County board approves budget amendment, final Smoky Mountain High change order and multiple policy updates
Summary
Trustees approved a budget amendment to the 2025 resolution, accepted a negotiated final change order for the Smoky Mountain High School construction project, and adopted policy updates (1–15) including new rules limiting remote participation toward quorum; field trips and personnel actions were also approved.
The Jackson County Public Schools board on Wednesday approved a package of routine and project‑level actions, including a budget amendment, a final construction change order and multiple policy updates.
Christie Walker, the district’s finance director, asked the board to approve budget amendment No. 4 to the 2025 budget resolution to reflect state, federal, other specific revenues and capital outlay adjustments. A motion to approve the amendment passed with an oral "All in favor." (No roll‑call votes with named tallies were recorded in the meeting transcript.)
Facilities staff presented a negotiated final change order with Buchanan and Sons for the Smoky Mountain High School construction project. Project staff described a compromise reached with the contractor and the architect to resolve outstanding change‑order costs and time extensions rather than pursue liquidated‑damages claims. The board voted to approve the final change order after staff recommendation.
The board also voted to adopt a set of policy updates (items 1–15). Staff highlighted one policy change — policy 2302 on remote participation — that aligns the board with recent court guidance by specifying that remotely participating board members do not count toward quorum and do not vote on action items except when a state‑declared emergency allows remote quorum. Policy 5026 (smoking and tobacco products) was revised to align the district definition of tobacco with state law and to clarify that vaping and related devices are prohibited under the code of conduct.
The board approved three field trips (Blue Ridge Early College to Williamsburg, VA; Jackson Community School to the Alcatraz East Crime Museum in Pigeon Forge; and Smoky Mountain High School to Catawba Valley Community College) and later approved the personnel action agenda after returning from closed session.
Motions and votes in brief:
- Approve budget amendment No. 4 — motion made and seconded; "All in favor." - Approve final change order for Smoky Mountain High School project — motion made and seconded; "All in favor." - Approve policy updates 1–15 (including remote participation revisions) — motion made and seconded; "All in favor." - Approve field trips — motion made and seconded; "All in favor." - Approve personnel action agenda after closed session — motion made and seconded; "All in favor."
No named roll‑call vote tallies were recorded in the transcript; the meeting record shows the motions were made, seconded and approved by voice.
Next meeting: the board scheduled its next regularly scheduled business meeting for Jan. 21, 2025, at 6 p.m. at Smoky Mountain Elementary School.
