Rowan County School Board members approved a set of operational and capital items at their Sept. 17 meeting, including the district’s 2024–25 working budget, a resolution to participate in the KISTA bus-buying consortium for five buses, final construction pay applications for Stanford Builders and a change order for bleacher replacement.

The board voted unanimously to adopt the working budget the district described as a ‘‘working’’ document used primarily to align personnel lines before the final budget is submitted to the state. Glenn, the district treasurer, told the board the district began August with roughly $4.2 million, received nearly $1.5 million in receipts during the month and closed the month with just over $4.0 million in cash on hand. ‘‘We’re looking good with numbers,’’ Glenn said in the meeting.

The board also approved two pay applications tied to the Stanford Builders baseball and tennis project: pay application No. 18 (to acknowledge substantial completion) and pay application No. 19 (to release final retainage). Staff said the contractor will remain responsible for warranty items identified on the punch list.

A separate vote approved Change Order No. 4 for the bleacher-replacement project to accommodate a concrete adjustment for drainage and slope. Project staff said crews mobilized to make the adjustment and expected the work to remain on schedule, with a target of about Oct. 4 to return the facility to full use.

On transportation, the board approved a participation resolution to purchase five buses through KISTA, a statewide purchasing consortium that pools districts for better bond rates. Finance staff estimated the five buses at roughly $817,100 and noted the district runs about 41 routes and several spare vehicles; staff described annual transportation costs near $2.6–$2.7 million, of which approximately $1.3 million was covered by state funding in the most recent year. The KISTA approach will finance buses over a multiyear bond pool at lower interest rates, the treasurer said.

Votes at a glance (as recorded in the meeting): approve Aug. 14 minutes and monthly claims (passed); approve consent agenda A–H (passed); approve BG-4 closeout for Clearfield (BG 21-048) (passed); approve pay applications No. 18 and 19 for Stanford Builders (RTA 1906 / BG 19-276) (passed); approve Change Order No. 4 for bleacher replacement (RTA 23063 / MBG 24-246) (passed); approve 2024–25 working budget (passed); approve participation in KISTA to procure five buses (estimate $817,100) (passed); approve shortened-day placements for eight students (passed); approve second reading of policy revisions (Policy 03.162 and related code numbers) (passed); approve first reading of policy 02.421 (passed); vote to enter closed session for the superintendent’s evaluation (passed).

Several motions noted who seconded on the record (for example, a payment motion identified Scott as the mover and a consent-agenda item was seconded by Gay), but most roll-call or detailed vote-by-name tallies were recorded only as voice votes with the chair stating the motion passed.

What’s next: The board completed regular business and moved to a closed session to discuss the superintendent’s evaluation. No further public action was announced.