By JOYANNA LOVE/ Senior Staff Writer

The Chilton County Board of Education met for an early morning meeting on June 29 to approve new hires needed for the 2017-2018 school year.

The certified new hires were approved 4 to 1. Board member Jim Shannon was absent. Board member Pam Price abstained. Board member Linda Hand voted against.

Board president Lori Patterson and members Joe Mims, Keith Moore and Curtis Smith voted in favor.

After the vote, Price said the supplements should not have been on the new hires list because they were already employees. Hand also listed this as a reason the list during a phone interview after the meeting.   School Superintendent Tommy Glasscock said the supplements were hiring them for the summer.

During the interview, Hand expressed other concerns about the supplements. She said several teachers will work throughout the summer to move their equipment and set up classrooms, including painting.

“I understand it is going on in every school. They work all summer getting things ready and we don’t pay them any extra,” Hand said.

The supplements were for Jay LeCroy and Jason Sosa for moving summer equipment and training Project Lead the Way teachers. These supplements had been brought up at the June 15 meeting and died for lack of second. The supplement amount was lowered to $2,000 and approved at the June 29 meeting.

Six teachers were hired as well as a band director and Family and Consumer teacher.

Teachers will begin with in-service and training days on Aug. 1.

Also during the meeting, the board approved:

— the retirement of bus driver Janet Hand.

— four preschool auxiliary teachers, two custodians, a special education assistant teacher, a federal programs/ special education secretary, a payroll clerk and a salary change for the secretary/bookkeeper for Jemison Middle School. Adjustments for the payroll clerk and the bookkeeper salaries to consider years of service and the bookkeeper’s master’s degree were also discussed and approved.