Randolph County Schools board approves personnel slate after executive session
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Summary
After an executive session, the Randolph County Schools board approved multiple personnel transfers and terminations, with several names pulled for separate votes; the board heard staff say the district is significantly over state funding formula targets and was recommended to cut about 32 professional and 27 service positions.
The Randolph County Schools board approved a package of personnel transfers and terminations on voice votes after convening an executive session to discuss personnel.
An agency official speaking at the meeting summarized the rationale and fiscal context before the board voted: the district, the official said, is roughly 34.62% above the state funding formula for positions and about 26.83% over in service positions, which the speaker estimated translates to roughly $3,926,000 in locally borne personnel costs. The official said the administration recommended reducing about 32 professional positions (projected savings around $2.4 million) and 27 service positions (about $1.2 million), for a combined projected savings of approximately $3.7 million. The official also cited about 25 current professional vacancies and a projected loss of roughly 200 students next year, which the official said would further reduce state aid by an estimated $1.3 million.
Board President Burns moved that the board go into executive session to discuss personnel; the motion passed, and the board recessed. The board reported no decisions were made in closed session and then proceeded to vote on the personnel slate section by section.
Votes and separate line items: the board approved section A on a 5-0 voice vote. Section B (professional terminations) passed on a 5-0 voice vote after several names were pulled for separate consideration; at least one name (Lindsey Blake) was removed from consideration after staff discovered a clerical grade-level error. In section C (professional transfers) the slate passed by voice vote and then the board took separate line votes on three pulled names: Susan Gillenbeau passed on a 4-1 vote; Amanda Phelan did not pass on a recorded 3-2 vote; Lucy Godwin passed 3-2. The board approved section D (service terminations) and section E (service transfers) by voice vote, each recorded as passing 5-0; two service-transfer names (Denver Tuning and Mary English) were left off the vote as previously requested.
A recusal was recorded for one board member; the transcript includes an exchange about the member’s name in the minutes. Board members scheduled future meetings and discussed a work session to meet with Dr. O'Kal the week of the 7th before adjourning at 6:59 p.m.
The board’s proceedings emphasized fiscal pressures tied to enrollment declines and the district’s position relative to the state funding formula as the primary justification for the recommended personnel actions. The board approved the actions it voted on; several individual decisions were taken separately as noted above.
