2-20-13 —    The Monticello Independent school district has waived its right to  an administrative hearing before the Kentucky Board of Education  (KBE) to consider an appeal of state management of the district,  following action taken by the Monticello Independent Board of  Education during an special called meeting last Wednesday, February 13.

    The hearing was scheduled to be held on Wednesday, February 20 at 2  p.m.    Although there will not be a hearing on that date, there will be a  special meeting of the KBE at that time to consider commissioner  Terry Holliday's recommendation for state management of the  Monticello Independent school district.

    At their meeting on February 13, local board members also accepted  an alternative presentation option, which will take place during the  special meeting of the KBE this week.

    The state board is expected to finalize the Monticello Independent  school district's state management designation during the special  called meeting on Wednesday, February 20. Following the action of the  KBE regarding the Monticello Independent school district's  

designation as state managed, representatives with the local district  will have the opportunity to present a viable plan for keeping the  school open past June 30.

    The alternative presentation option came a week after members of the  Monticello Independent Planning Committee were informed that the  local district would not be able to make a presentation at the  

hearing before the state board on February 20. Committee members were  told that the only matter the state board would be addressing at the  hearing is whether or not the district would be placed under state  management.

    According to Superintendent John Hurt, the local school district  received the alternative presentation option from state officials on  Wednesday afternoon, February 13, just a few hours before the local  board was scheduled to meet.

    Through the alternative presentation option, the local school  

district can send a maximum of three people to Frankfort on February  

20 to give a 20 minute presentation before the state board to show a  

viable, sustainable plan for keeping the school open past June 30.

    The Monticello Board of Education met in regular session on Monday,  

February 18, and continued to look at different options for saving  

the school district.

    Board members considered three different certified salary options  

for the 2013-14 school year. The board considered the current non-

bracketed salary option and also discussed the possibility of  

changing to a bracketed salary schedule or going to the state minimum  

certified salary schedule.

    Following a discussion of the three options, the board voted to go  

to the state minimum salary schedule for next school year. According  

to Bill Boyd, finance officer for Monticello Independent, the lowest  

cut a teacher would take in the district would be approximately  

$4,268. He added that some faculty members could lose up to  

approximately $10,204.

    Boyd noted that by going to the state minimum salary schedule and  

cutting 11 positions in the district, he could get the projected  

deficit for next year's budget down to about $109,000. He added that  

this figure does not take into consideration the $99,000 KSBIT  

assessment or the $220,000 payment on the loan that will come through  

state management.

    He pointed out that this figure does not take into consideration the  

sale of any property, cutting extended days for staff, retirement  

match the district has to pay on all employees, or any increases that  

may come in utilities, etc.

    In other action, the board:

    • approved a MOA to receive a loan from the Kentucky Department of  

Education in the amount of $1.1 million to be paid back at $220,000 a  

year starting in December 2013.

    • heard a KDE update.

    • heard a treasurer's report.

    • considered the first reading of policy 4.31 change.

    • discussed a memorandum summarizing Deborah Swope's efforts to  

collect past due accounts in the Food Services department. Swope has  

collected several thousand dollars in the past four months.

    • approved the tentative SBDM allocations.

    • approved the 2012-13 salary schedule.

    • created a part time ESL Instructional Assistant Position.