Melodie Phelps, News Editor
CNHI
8-25-10 — The Wayne County Board of Education met on Monday, August 16 and approved the tax rates for 2010-2011. Rates will remain the same for the next year, after the board approved the recommendation by Superintendent John Dalton.
The real and personal property tax rates were set at 38.6 cents per hundred dollars of assessed value. The motor vehicle rate was set at 52.8 cents per hundred dollars of assessed value.
The utility rate will remain at three percent.
Dalton noted that the rates must be advertised and a public hearing has to be set for any comments. The hearing is scheduled for Thursday, September 9 at 6 p.m. at the board office.
Also during the meeting, the board learned more about the Aim High program held this summer on campus. Students who participated in the program shared their experiences with board members.
Aim High was funded through a 21st Century Learning grant, and included space exploration classroom activities, a trip to the Challenger Center in Hazard, a team building activity at Cumberland Retreat, and a trip to Cape Canaveral to see the NASA Space Center.
Also during the meeting, the board:
• Heard a report regarding enrollment for the current school year which is 2,469, representing a 13 student increase from a year ago.
• Heard a report of the attendance and dropout statistics from the past school year. The district had an average attendance of 94.68 percent for 2009-2010, which is up slightly from 2008-2009. The number of dropouts dropped from 59 in 2008-2009 to 31 in 2009-1010. These numbers reflect students who also left the district for home schooling.
• Approved the use of capital funds for property insurance request.
• Approved the assignment of asbestos coordination responsibilities to Ronnie Hancock.
• Approved a request to use the Wayne County High School auditorium on June 4, 2011 for a gospel singing.