Mark Bell

Contributing Writer

Harlan County School personnel are busy with last minute details getting their facilities ready when students report Aug. 8.

Among the most pressing projects is a sewer repair to Wallins Elementary School that has been delayed all summer.

During their regular meeting last week, board members discussed the status of that project and pressed for more urgency to see it completed on time.

A contract for the job was let as soon as school dismissed in May, said Board Chairman Gary Farmer. The school system had repeatedly been promised the job would start, only to be repeatedly put off.

Upon advice of their attorney, Johnnie Turner, the board passed a motion the project had to have begun Monday or an emergency situation would be declared, after which they would void the existing contract and proceed with the work using another of the bidding contractors.

Farmer reported Monday the work had begun by noon.

Interim Superintendent Mike Howard reported employment changes including one certified retirement, seven classified employments, two classified retirements and two classified transfers.

In other action, the board approved:

* Payment in the amount of $7,560 to Ash Mountain Inc. for work completed on the Harlan County High School football field;

* Moving $276,000 out of escrow account for debt service and back into the general fund to reflect debt paid on the Cumberland Middle, Loyall Elementary and Verda Elementary school buildings;

* The Master Schedule for the school beginning and ending times for 2012-2013;

* Payment of $232,574.13 to Green Construction Company and $298,115.31 to various vendors for work completed on the Harlan County High School football field;

* The non-criminal justice government entity criminal history record information user agreement;

* Indirect costs to School Food Service at a rate to be determined by the Kentucky Department of Education;

* A contract with the Cumberland Valley District Health Department;

* A medical leave of absence for Linda Shackleford, speech language pathologist at Green Hills Elementary;

* A family/medical leave of absence for Joy D. Noe, teacher at JACES, for the 2012-2013 school year;

* Refinancing the 2002 KISTA debt service for a savings of $34,357.84 over the life of the bonds;

* Out-of-state trips for Harlan County High School Cheerleaders to Morristown, Tenn., on Aug. 18, 2012, and to Jonesville, Va., on Sept. 14, 2012.

The board also:

* Paid claims in the aggregate amount of $1,514,102.38;

* Declared as surplus with no monetary value a Green Bar Paper Stand in School Food Services;

* Held a second reading of revisions to board policy;

* Held a second reading of the Kentucky School Boards Association’s annual policy updates;

* Held a 12-minute executive session to discuss pending litigation.