By Rupert Howell
SARDIS—North Panola School Trustees considered pay increases for school district staff during Tuesday night’s monthly meeting, but they did so behind closed doors and did not make action, if any was taken, public when they reopened the meeting 35 to 40 minutes later..
Board president Chris Fairlee stated action taken would be reflected in the board minutes to be approved next month.
Although minutes are approved at the following month’s meeting, they are not read publicly prior to approval.
But action for the night was going on in the hallway outside the board meeting where a School Resource Deputy told a visitor to “quit being so negative,” as she was condemning board actions aloud while looking through the night’s agenda amid visitors and administrators waiting in the hall for the meeting to reopen to the public. A brief confrontation arose and the visitor briefly left the building to call the sheriff.
Sheriff Dennis Darby said the following day that he was looking into the matter.
North Panola trustees, like most local boards, now use electronic tablets containing the night’s agenda and supporting documents. Although copies of the agenda are available at the doorway, supporting documents are not readily made available, such as financial reports and bid quotes, which are rarely read aloud at the meetings.
Trustees also accepted 11 resignations and approved 21 regular staff hirings as well as 26 others to operate and maintain the 21st Century extended school program and other summer programs.
District funds in the amount of $184,845 went to pay claims while Food Service funds paid $80,371 in claims.
Trustees accepted the lowest bid for the HVAC system at the gymnasium at North Panola High School although names of bidders or amounts of bids were not mentioned during Tuesday’s meeting. School Administrator Michael Britt estimated a cost of $235,000 during the March trustee board meeting.
Trustees recognized North Panola High School’s valedictorian and salutatorian as well as the district’s Parent of the Year prior to official business.
Superintendent  Cedric Richardson reported state testing had been completed and the district was in the banquets/graduation mode telling trustees he would go over test results data in June and July.
“Our children have done well—they have put their best foot forward,” Richardson said.
Trustees agreed to begin their budgeting process for the upcoming fiscal year in a special meeting called for Monday, June 6 at 6:30 p.m. at the Superintendent’s Office on Highway 51N in Sardis.