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Board approves police camera license, $1.5M capital drawdown, budget amendments and a revised cell‑tower deal
Summary
At the same meeting the Martin County Board unanimously approved a police property license for an automated license‑plate camera, authorized a $1.5 million capital drawdown and a $282,120 final payment, adopted budget amendments, approved the CTE Perkins plan, and approved a tower lease amendment (option 2) by a 6–1 vote.
The Martin County Board of Education approved several operational and fiscal items alongside the school‑closure vote.
Police camera property license: The Williamson Police Department requested and received board approval to place a 10–12 foot pole with an automated license plate reader on Board of Education property. The department representative said the installation and upkeep would be provided at no cost to Martin County Schools and that the camera field of view would aim at public roadways and away from student areas. The board approved the property license by unanimous hand/voice vote.
Capital drawdowns and final payment: Finance staff requested a third‑quarter drawdown of $1,500,000 from the needs‑based public school capital fund for the new Martin County High School (bringing total draw requests to $3,400,000) and asked to draw down $282,120 for the final Riverside Middle School payment. Both requests were approved unanimously.
Cell tower lease amendment: Staff presented three options from Array Digital Infrastructure (formerly US Cellular) regarding the tower at Martin County High School: (1) $8,400 annual rent with lease to 2074 and removal of restoration obligation; (2) a $6,000 base rent with escalation once tenants are secured plus a five‑year guarantee; or (3) a one‑time $85,000 payment for a perpetual easement. Staff recommended option 2; the board adopted option 2 by a 6–1 vote.
Budget amendments and grants: The board approved June budget amendments that included a state increase of $191,130.16 (DPI adjustments), a federal increase of $12,297, a $500,000 capital outlay allocation for a South Creek Elementary chiller from repair and renovation funds, and Fund 8 increases totaling $115,005.87 for local grants. The motions passed unanimously.
CTE Perkins plan and personnel actions: The board approved the 2026–28 CTE local application required to secure Perkins funding (moved, seconded and approved unanimously). Personnel actions brought back from closed session — and the decision to keep closed minutes closed — were approved as recorded in open session.
The board also voted unanimously to enter closed session earlier in the meeting to consult with counsel and consider confidential personnel and student matters; the transcript records the board citing closed‑session statutes and federal privacy law in making that motion.
Votes at a glance: property license (unanimous); capital drawdown $1,500,000 (unanimous); Riverside final payment $282,120 (unanimous); cell‑tower amendment Option 2 (6–1); budget amendments (unanimous); CTE plan (unanimous).
