Hickman Co. BOE approves contract for renovations

by Becky Meadows

Sixth grade students Ke’Inaziah Powell, Shelbee Webb, and Lexie Branham made a presentation to members of the Hickman County Board of Education Sept. 25 about the project they have worked toward to expand the playground area at the elementary school.
With the help of their teachers Leslie Bizzle, Renee Cole, and Emily Easley, sixth grade students have researched playground equipment, performed cost analysis for each of six potential additions, created a Google slideshow to present those possibilities to the entire student body for a vote, and tallied all the votes to determine the preferred addition for the playground.

Elementary students have raised over $8,000 by collecting box tops and Coke lids toward their $12,000 goal.
Each homeroom has a goal of collecting $200 for the school to reach its goal of purchasing the new playground equipment.

Present at the meeting were Superintendent Casey Henderson, Principal Richard Todd, Principal Shane Bizzle, Perry Collins, Jan Johnson, Kim Wilson, Perry Collins, Danny Carr, Heather Spillman, Renee Cole, Leslie Bizzle, Christel Nall, board members Allen Kyle, Martie Templeton, Matt Hicks, Thomas Dodson, and Shannon Dowdy. Visitors at the meeting were Ke’Inaziah Powell, Christy Irons, Shelbee Webb, Cindy Webb, Shelly Branham, Lexie Branham, Joe Nance, Curt Swinford, Bryan Atkins, Tommy Kimbro, and Becky Meadows.

The board voted to approve the use of the high school track field for a Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) event called Field of Faith that will include the four river counties on Oct. 24. Danny Carr who is the leader of the Hickman County FCA told board members, “Kids need an education, but they also need Christ.”

Curt Swinford, an architect with CMS Architecture, presented the board with the bid tabulation from contractors for the renovation project #18-176 at the elementary and high school buildings, as well as a letter of recommendation regarding the award of the contract to the lowest bidder.

The board voted to accept the bid tabulation and recommendation presented by Swinford.

The board approved a proposed Owner-Contractor contract to enter into an agreement with the successful bidder, MP Lawson Construction, LLC.

A revised BG-1 for project #18-176 (Renovation of Elementary and High School) that conforms to the accepted bid was approved by the board.

Joe Nance with Ross, Sinclaire, & Associates, LLC presented the board with a plan of financing. Nance said that the school district has $2,780,000 in local bonding potential, $220,000 in School Facilities Construction Commission (SFCC) bonding potential for a total bonding potential of $3,000,000. The district will have a remaining bonding potential balance of $1,120,000 for future projects after the projected Oct. 2018 bond issue in the amount of $1,880,000.

The board voted to adopt a resolution authorizing the Hickman County School District Finance Corporation to issue 2018 Revenue Bonds.

The Hickman County Board of Education meeting recessed in order to call the Hickman County School District Finance Corporation into session.

During the Hickman County School District Finance Corporation session, the board voted to approve Casey Henderson as secretary and Kim Wilson as treasurer and approved the adoption of a resolution authorizing the issuance of 2018 Revenue Bonds.

After reconvening, the board reviewed proposals received for special inspection services, thermal test, balance and adjustments services related to the renovation of the elementary and high school buildings project.

A motion was passed to approve entering into an agreement with the successful bidder for special inspection services, thermal test, balance and adjustment services.

The 2018-19 Working Budget was approved by the board, as was a motion to approve a 2018-19 Memorandum of Agreement with Four Rivers Foundation.

In the personnel report, Superintendent Henderson reported that Natasha Puckett resigned as cafeteria worker, Billie Prince was hired as high school head baseball coach, Klint Kimbell was hired as high school assistant baseball coach, Lori Williams was approved as a substitute teacher for 2018-19, and Eron Jones has been hired as a new substitute instructional assistant, substitute cafeteria worker, and substitute custodian for 2018-19.

In the Superintendent’s report, Henderson said the Chamber of Commerce Leadership Group had their orientation outing on Aug. 24-25 at the Bone Cabin in Bellewood.

He said this was a great event where the students spent the night working on leadership skills and team building strategies. The students all stated that it was a wonderful time filled with fun team building activities.

Henderson reported that the district’s annual financial audit took place during the last two weeks of August and all indications point to a very clean audit. Henderson said the final report will be provided at the board meeting in Oct. or November.

He told board members students from FFA and several other clubs participated in the “Farm to Fork” event on Aug. 10 at the Assembly of God activities building.

Henderson announced Robbie Rudolph is the recipient of the Joseph Kelly Award, given by the Kentucky Board of Education to a business person who has offered outstanding leadership and service toward the improvement of education for all students. “He is well deserving of this award for all he does for the area school districts,” Henderson said, “We are blessed to have him and his foundation as a part of our success.”

Henderson commended the staff especially, Megan Adams, for all their hard work putting on the Kentucky School Board Association Regional Event on Sept. 10.

Henderson reported the school has been awarded the Preschool Partnership Grant, to increase the availability of full-day, high-quality preschool service in the community by collaborating with Murray Head Start to open an additional blended preschool classroom at Hickman County Elementary School to serve 15 children eligible for the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP).

The grant will provide $300,000 over a two-year period and will cover the salary cost for one teacher and two aides.

Principal Shane Bizzle reported the Men’s Golf Team is District Champion and the Softball team, district runner-up. the boys basketball team will be selling ribeye steak sandwiches at Rotary Park on Oct. 26 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.; and the high school had held a morale breakfast for teachers and will hold birthday celebrations for students each month.

Bizzle said students of the month for August were eighth grader Scotty Jones and Sophomore Shajuanta Knox.

Principal Richard Todd reported 356 students enrolled in kindergarten through sixth grades and 76 preschool students, with student attendance at 98 percent during the first month of school.

The WATCH Dog Dads program kicked off on Sept. 6 at the elementary school with 32 dads in attendance and Todd said that at least 344 grandparents had lunch with their students during Grandparents Days on Sept. 5, 7, 12, and 14.