Dale Board of Education members this week approved December stipends for all of the district’s employees and rehired School Supt. Will Jones.
Following a brief executive session in which board members spent time conducting Jones’ annual evaluation, they returned to open meeting and approved his contract.
On the stipends, Jones explained each employee is receiving one percent of his or her base salary. Those stipends were handed out on Wednesday morning of this week.
Board members also set a date and time for the sale of the $830,000 taxable building bonds of the district. They set noon on Jan. 14, 2025 to do that and designated Stephen L. Smith and Associates as bond counsel.
They also approved the financial report as presented by Jones during his superintendent’s report.
Jones reviewed financial information showing warrants in November of this year were $2,717,420 compared with $2,266,563 in November of 2023.
The building fund cash balance for November of 2024 was $417,969 compared to $170,402 in November of 2023, up $247,567 from a year ago.
The General Fund cash balance in November of this year stood at $1,124,083 and in November of 2023 it was $693,012 an increase of $431,071.
State Aid as of November of this year was $1,510.146. As of November of 2023, it stood at $1,266,624, up $243,522.
County Sales Tax balance for November this year was $195,071 compared to $376,760, which is $181,689 less than in November of a year ago.
November county sales tax revenue was $31,392, Jones reported.
During his report, Jones also noted the high school basketball teams are both rated No.1 in the latest ratings.
He also mentioned there is a bill that is expected to be proposed in the upcoming legislative session that will raise minimum pay for teachers to $50,000.
Jones advised the board he recently attended a meeting with legislators and cell phones in the classroom are what he described as a “hot topic.”
He indicated he expects the statewide education budget to be a flat budget.
Jones informed board members he anticipated a “nice midterm adjustment.”
Elementary Principal Tamee Daniel in her report said, “We grew by three students today and enrollment is now at 351. Our Christmas store will be next week, Dec. 9-12 and the Christmas program is Dec. 20.”