The Chilton County Board of Education approved Superintendent Dave Hayden’s recommendation Tuesday to purchase property near Thorsby School for $69,400.

The private property consists of more than six acres of land located behind the school.

Hayden said it could be used as an extra parking area for Thorsby’s nearby athletic fields.

“I think that’s the best price we can do,” Hayden said. “It seems to be a pretty good deal. We will have control of the property.”

Hayden negotiated the price with property owners after gaining the board’s approval in March to do so.

The $69,400 includes a portion of the closing costs, which Hayden said he agreed the board would pay as part of the contract.

Board members approved another recommendation from Hayden to allow Tommy Glasscock of LeCroy Career Technical Center to sell surplus items on GovDeals.com with the stipulation that no Chilton County Board of Education employees or their families are allowed to bid on or buy any of the items.

Surplus items include 18 welders that the school no longer needs. Hayden said the money from sales normally goes back to the school selling the items.

The board also granted Glasscock permission to enter the planning stages of instituting a public service class at the center.

Glasscock may now gather information about the class, such as cost, and bring it back to the board for approval.

Hayden and Glasscock met with local fire chiefs, Alabama Fire College representatives and Chilton County Sheriff Kevin Davis last week to discuss the possible class.

“They’re all very positive about this program,” Hayden said. “We’ve had a retirement which frees up a unit, so this is an opportune time to do this at career tech.”

Another item receiving board approval Tuesday was Chilton County High School’s summer school schedule and cost.

The first session will be May 29 through June 27, and the second session will be July 1 through Aug. 1.

Classes will be held Monday–Thursday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The cost is $400 per class for out-of-county students, $300 per class for in-county students and $200 per student for drivers’ education.

The following summer school teachers were approved: Tammy Hand, mathematics; D.J. Nix, history; Amanda Price, science; Kay Tippett, English; and Daryl Davis, Deon Timmons and Jeff Woodley, drivers’ education.

In other business, the board:

•Approved payrolls and accounts payables for the month of March, as well as the monthly financial statement and bank reconciliations of the Central Office for March as presented by Chief Financial Officer Steve Yeargan.

•Approved the minutes of the previous meeting on Tuesday, March 19.

•Rejected all bids on projector maintenance.

•Approved Child Nutrition Program requests.

•Approved sending non-renewal letters to 36 employees.

•Approved leave requests for: Kristin Clements, from May 6 to the end of the school year; Glenda Dutton, for six weeks starting March 11; and Russell Jones, from April 4 to July 17.

•Approved resignations for: Casandra Chadwick, cafeteria manager at Isabella, effective May 31; and Reta Littlejohn, secretary/bookkeeper at LeCroy Career Technical Center, effective May 31.

•Approved the use of a school bus for Clanton First United Methodist Church preschoolers to visit the Clanton Elementary kindergarten program on May 1.

•Approved a purchase agreement with Follett Software for an online library program for seven schools for $14,770.78.

•Approved the following school requests: Clanton Middle – permission for Kelly Gaston and the archery team to travel to Louisville, Ky., to participate in the NASP National Archery Tournament on May 10–11; Jemison High – permission for Van Clements to transfer from an Access Facilitator position to a P.E. teacher position with teacher pay effective March 31, and permission to use $4,000 of school funds to paint the auditorium; Thorsby – permission to pay Lauren Guy as a contract substitute ($70 per day) effective April 10 to May 15; and Verbena – permission to pay Jennifer Wooten Beagles as a contract substitute ($70 per day) effective March 22 for the remainder of the school year.

•Approved for the Jemison High School archery team to be allowed to travel to Kentucky in May to compete in the national archery competition.

•Approved to allow Ashlie Harrison of Maplesville High School to take students on a trip to Washington during spring break in 2014.

•Approved the state superintendent’s request for Gina Riley to continue serving on the Alabama Reading Initiative (ARI) regional staff for the 2013-2014 school year.

•Approved Laura Ward for the vice principal position at Jemison Middle School.

•Approved to purchase a Search Soft software upgrade for $5,460 for the school system.

•Approved to post vacancies.