The 2024-25 budget received approval in a BOE special called meeting

Jessica Ceballos, Crossville Chronicle, Tenn.
·2 min read

May 23—The Cumberland County Board of Education approved the 2024-25 school year budget in a special called meeting on May 21.

Chris King, 6th District, cast the only vote against approving the budget. Nicholas Davis, 5th District, was absent. Elizabeth Stull, 1st District, and Shannon Stout, 9th District, attended the meeting via Zoom.

All unanimously approved the following actionable items in the agenda: the classified salary scale, the non-certified supervisor and safe schools counselor salary scale, and the teacher's salary scale.

The final actionable item on the agenda was the approval of the assistant principal and above salary scale. The vote was 7-1 with King voting against it.

The budget has been through five drafts and revisions since its creation in April 2024, said Chief Operations Officer Kim Bray.

Before the board voted to approve the agenda in the meeting, Rebecca Hamby, 7th District, moved to add a discussion item to the agenda. Hamby wanted to discuss and understand what was happening with the Baby Birds program.

"I just don't want to see any of these kids left out," said Hamby.

The Baby Birds Learning Center is the school system's program for developmentally and intellectually challenged children ages 18 months to 3 years.

Director of Schools William Stepp had said the district would close the facility June 30 when a state grant that funds it expires, according to an article from the Chronicle. After public outcry and a board discussion that was sometimes heated, Stepp announced this team would apply for the grant with days to spare, stated in an April 2024 update from the Chronicle.

The board decided to invite the Director of Special Education, Marlene Holton, to address the board at any time, said Chairwoman Teresa Boston, 8th District.

During community comments, community members Linda Clark and Kandi Newcome spoke about Homestead Elementary School safety issues. Clark addressed the board about not placing specific funding in this budget for the HES safety issues.

Newcome shared her thoughts on the HES safety proposal with the fencing. She disagrees with the method the board wants to address the problem and believes the school board is procrastinating and not doing enough.

The Board of Education will present the budget to the county commission's budget committee on June 6 at 4:30 p.m.

Visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=Naml22zeHFg to view the BOE meeting.