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Estill County board approves fiber lease, accepts FY24 audit and clears several routine items
Summary
At its Dec. 19 meeting the Estill County Board of Education approved a new fiber lease, accepted the FY24 financial audit, and approved routine items including a GEAR UP MOU, CDIP and travel for the bass fishing team.
The Estill County Board of Education on Dec. 19 approved a new district fiber lease, accepted the district’s June 30, 2024 financial audit and cleared a slate of routine action items, including a tentative MOU to pursue a GEAR UP grant and approval for a bass fishing team trip to Florida.
The board voted to approve the fiber contract after Superintendent Brock described the RFP process and said the lease totals more than $100,000 and must be submitted to the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) for approval before the district pursues federal funding to connect buildings. Sheila Samples made the motion; Tammy Hardy seconded. The motion carried, recorded in the minutes as a 4-0 vote.
The board heard a presentation from auditor Chad Allen, who summarized the three-part audit packet and called the report “very clean.” Allen said the district received a modified opinion on its financial statements and had no findings in the yellow-book review of internal control or in the single-audit of federal programs, including ESSER funds. Board members moved to accept the FY24 audit as presented and approved it by voice vote.
Other actions taken during the meeting included:
- Approval for the Estill County Bass Fishing Team to travel to Leesburg, Florida, Jan. 22–28, 2025, to compete; motion carried (tally not specified in the record).
- Approval of a recommendation to grant a shortened school day for particular students as determined by committee; motion recorded as carrying 4-0.
- Approval of the 2025 calendar committee roster (board member representation and community participants) so staff could proceed with calendar development.
- Approval of a tentative MOU to reapply for the federal GEAR UP grant (through Partners for Rural Impact) to support students beginning fall 2025; the superintendent said paperwork to pursue the grant is due Jan. 15.
- Approval of the Comprehensive District Improvement Plan (CDIP), a state-required document the superintendent described as a formal step the district completes annually.
- Approval of routine consent items (meeting minutes, treasurer’s report, bills, superintendent travel and a choir fundraiser) by a single motion.
What’s next: The fiber lease will be submitted to KDE for its review as required for leases over $100,000; staff will pursue the GEAR UP grant application and return with updates as appropriate.
Source: Meeting record of the Estill County Board of Education, Dec. 19, 2024.
