School board approves budget

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The Emery County School Board met in their July meeting and passed the final budget for the year. Business manager Jared Black said it is a tight budget for 2013.
Superintendent Kirk Sitterud asked for approval for Marti Snow as a teacher at Ferron Elementary to replace Brandy Sessions. Janeen Chynoweth will replace Donn Jeffs at Canyon View Junior High, three-quarters time.
Laurie Swalberg has resigned at BookCliff Elementary and Crosby Hatt will replace her. She will be doing a half-day student teaching and a half-day internship. She will teach fourth, fifth and sixth language arts and reading.
The board took care of a number of policy revisions including raising the auto lab fee from $30 to $40.
The board approved the negotiated items with the Emery Education Association and the Emery Classified Association. The board will fund steps and lane increases and a 1.7 percent increase in the Utah Retirement fund. There will be no cost of living increase. Insurance will be funded at 93 percent and 60 percent for dental premiums.
The negotiations went well and there is a good relationship between the board and the organizations.
Bus driver Sidney Larsen has requested leave without pay until the end of September. Bus supervisor Roger Swenson said she is a great employee and they can work around her leave until she comes back.
The Emery High FFA has requested permission to put in a garden directly west of the adult education building at the high school. There is secondary water in place there. The board thought it was a good idea.
Board member Sam Singleton said the FFA was well represented at the Southeastern Utah Junior Livestock show. There were 180 lambs, 91 pigs and 50-60 steers.
Superintendent Sitterud said the head custodian at Huntington Elementary Ralph Pruitt will need to be replaced because he is retiring.
There will be substitute teacher training and haz-mat training. There will be new teacher training.
Aug. 19 is the opening institute and Aug. 20 is the first day of school. Most of opening institute will be training by the state office of education on the evaluation process. There will also be a benefits fair and lunch at the recreation center.
Black said he met with the architect for the master plan which includes evaluation of the status of all the buildings in the district.
There will be community input on the plan.
The plan offers suggestions for things that can be done to each building to keep it up to date and in good repair.
The board approved the use of a bus for Orangeville Days.