Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Emmet Board To Re-bid Bus Garage

Emmet's school district spent $500 on the school elections, with no contested races or issues involved.

Dr. Gene Ross, Emmet superintendent, told this to the Emmet School Board at its regular meeting Oct. 4.

He said the district really had no need of an election, but had no choice in the matter.

Discussing the financial situation, he said the operating budget shows $475,000 on hand, but this is about $100,000 less than the district actually has.

The district, Ross said, paid $279,000 for the new building now housing one sixth grade and two second grade classes. The original bid for the facility was $250,000, but with changes made to the plans and the architect's fee the price was higher than the budget.

He said with the new building adjustments have had to be made for maintenance personnel. The maintenance man has an extra hour's work daily on cleaning the new structure.

Because of this, the board voted to raise his annual salary by $1,200 a year.

Ross bragged on the students following the results of the eighth grade benchmark exams. He said the district was at or above the state level across the board.

However, the district is slightly below state level on this test in math, but is above average on language.

While work was being done on the new building, Ross said, termites were discovered on a discarded board.

He questioned the board as to its wishes on getting a termite contract.

Jack Faulkner said there's no wood in the building so there is no need for a termite contract. The rest of the board agreed.

There are more problems with getting a new bus shop built. Ross said the board approved a bid from McLelland Construction in March, but no work has been done on it as yet.

Ross spoke with McLelland and was told he couldn't get to it until November.

Ross said the school would find someone else and called the Arkansas School Board Association to get advice.

He was told an agreement is viewed the same as a contract and the district would need a written release from McLelland before it could hire someone else.

The Arkansas Department of Education said this project must be let for bid again.

This, Ross told the board, has been done, but McLelland hasn't provided the letter of release yet.

Martin Portable Buildings of Magnolia turned in the low bid, has the materials in stock and is ready to begin work as soon as the release comes through.

In other business, the board was reorganized, somewhat, as is required by law following school elections.

Once again, Faulkner will be the board's president, with Glenda Fulton remaining the secretary. The only change was in vice president with Michael Hight replacing Jon Saladin.

Elementary Principal Floyd Pollock said there are 186 enrolled in the elementary school, down four from September's count of 190.

He requested, and received, permission to take a group of students on a field trip to the Klipsch Auditorium in Hope to hear the Texas Boys Choir.

The 10th grade music and gifted and talented students will be going to Hope on Dec. 9 for the "Silver Bell and Diamond" Christmas program, Ross said.

Winners of the "Fantasy of Flight" contest will be going to the next level of competition at the Texarkana airport Oct. 20.

Students in grades four through six competed, with the top three from each grade going to Texarkana.

This contest, Pollock said, is sponsored by the Southwest Arkansas Educational Cooperative and will cost the district nothing.