By JOYANNA LOVE/ Senior Staff Writer

Clarification was requested on paying individuals for fueling school buses during the June 13 meeting of the Chilton County Board of Education.

Chief School Financial Officer LaVerne Williams brought the issue to the board’s attention because four of the five employees were receiving a salary in addition to the rate of $1 per bus per day.

“I’m just want clarification on what they should be paid … We have been paying them, but I’m not sure we have been paying them correctly,” Williams said.

She asked if they all should be receiving a salary. The only person not receiving a salary was hired as a fill-in for someone who was unable to continue working. The employees have not been paid for May yet.

Board member Pam Price said the board established a shop assistant with these responsibilities on Aug. 8, 2016.

“Refueling falls under their duties and in my notes, I had … we were going to be decreasing the cost of buses by $150 to $200 a month for fueling,” Price said.

Superintendent Tommy Glasscock said this person will not begin work until July 1.

Transportation director Jason Griffin said all of the employees handling fueling the buses were hired before he came into his position. He suggested simply paying “what they have been paid, and then it’s over as of July 1.”

A motion to approve his suggestion passed.  Board president Lori Patterson and members Jim Shannon, Keith Moore, Curtis Smith and Linda Hand voted in favor of the motion. Board member Joe Mims was absent. Price abstained.

“I don’t see how one person could do the whole county,” Shannon said.

Griffin initially requested three, but only one has been approved.  Griffin said the plan is to have the shop assistant fuel the majority of the busses and have other shop employees assist when needed.

“To your question of can one person fuel that many buses, I don’t know but we are going to find out,” Griffin said. “Starting July 1 that will be his responsibility.”

He added that having one person handling refueling lowers the liability.  He said this is how the majority of school systems in the state handle fueling buses.

Also during the meeting:

—A reduced fee for use of the Isabella High School baseball field by a baseball camp was approved 4 to 2 with the stipulation the camp organizer was not profiting from the camp. If a profit is being made, the organizer will be charged the full fee. Board members Shannon, Hand, Patterson and Smith voted in favor. Board members Price and Moore voted against.

Shannon said he was not comfortable with waiving the fee for someone to make a profit. Price said the request stated funds raised would be given to the school. However, she was not in favor of waiving facility fees on any request because the school system still has costs such as utilities when the building is used.

— The BOE approved a 10-cent increase for school lunch. This will not affect those on the free and reduced lunch program. Child nutrition Director Melody Bailey said the prices for the reduced price are set by the USDA.

— A motion to pay a supplement for two Project Lead the Way teachers died for lack of a second, and could not be voted on.

— The board approved several new hires and changes of position within the system, and a salary schedule for newly created positions.