ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥

ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œWe want to assure you of our capacity to maintain this property long term, our financial capability and organizational flexibility make Mercy Village Church a solid candidate for this donation, ensuring the property continues benefiting our community for years to come,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥� Huntington resident Stephanie DeRose told the board Tuesday.

The properties are currently home to vacated or soon-to-be-vacated school buildings, many of which are being replaced by the school districtÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s bond projects. The properties are the former Davis Creek, Highlawn and Milton elementary school properties and the current Meadows Elementary School and Cabell County Career Technology Center.

The board may auction off the properties, demolish them, or lease or donate them to a political subdivision, the United States or a private organization for charitable or community use.

So far, during public meetings the board has heard proposals from:

• Shane Evans, mayor of Milton, who asked to use the former Milton Elementary School as a community and recreational building and/or a Milton ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Department. Evans has also had support for the request from the Milton Youth Football League.
• The Huntington Municipal Development Authority, which asked for Meadows Elementary School.
• Representatives from the Autism Services Center, who also asked for Meadows Elementary.
• Nathan Barnes, co-founder and executive director of AssuredCare pharmacy, who asked for the former Davis Creek Elementary property to use as a nonprofit applied behavior analysis therapy center.
• Laverne Lacey, who wanted to use the Davis Creek Elementary property as a place for local artists to gather.

Deputy Superintendent Justin Boggs also told the board in past meetings ground crews or Crossroads Academy could be relocated, along with the Adult English Language Learner programs, to the current Career Technology Center. Boggs also told the board in past meetings he has received multiple requests for the properties.

ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œI expect to have something in the very near future for a recommendation for the board to consider, and with (the) recommendations there, we will remove the discussion item, and you all may certainly discuss it and vote,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥� Superintendent Tim Hardesty told the board Tuesday.

In other business, Treasurer Drew Rottgen reminded the board of the Fiscal Year 2025 and FY 2026 budget updates and predictions he shared earlier this month.

He noted that while those numbers assumed spending and budget trends continued for the county, it also assumed the state would continue to provide the same rate funding through the funding formula the board is used to.

ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œIn case you had not heard, you know, with the new administration coming on, theyÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™re reporting that there may be a budget shortfall of almost $400 million in the state,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥� Rottgen said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œSo what was presented to you a week ago, that was assuming weÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™re getting our own house in order. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥¦ If the state would potentially have to make cuts statewide, that obviously would make our budget situation just a little bit more difficult.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥�

Rottgen said the situation is something he would keep an eye on once the legislative session begins in about three weeks.

The board also heard from Pheobe Patton Randolph, president of Edward Tucker Architects, about the upcoming project to expand the Cabell Midland High School cafeteria and create a STEM space for the school.

ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œThe dining room currently accommodates just a little over 500 students. And as you all, IÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™m sure, are well aware, there are over 1,700 students that attend Cabell Midland, and they do two lunch periods. So that means that students are really scattered all over the building,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥� Randolph said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œSo this is something I think we want to design for growth and the potential for ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥¦ an increase in student capacity at the school.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥�

Randolph said the idea for the project is to add about 3,000 square feet to the dining room to create additional seating while also adding new furniture to allow for a more flexible seating arrangement. She said the new tables the firm is designing would meet requests for students to eat in larger groups and create a ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œbetter sense of community.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥�

Randolph said the flexible furniture would also better allow for the space to be transfigured into a STEM area. She said the firm is also looking into doing some outdoor areas.

Randolph said the current budget for the project is about $3.6 million. The School Building Authority granted the board $1 million for the project in April, and another $2.6 million would need to be paid for by the school district.

ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œWe would be looking at, roughly, if we were to start today, we could probably look at going out for bids in July of this year. So we need some time to finish drawings,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥� Randolph said.

The board also hired Sara Barraclough as the new principal of Hite-Saunders Elementary School to replace Brenda Horne in her retirement.

The board also approved calendar changes for this school year:

• Feb. 10 will now be a Professional Learning and Faculty Senate Day, meaning staff will report but students will not.
• The Professional Learning and Faculty Senate Day planned for Feb. 11 will now be a make-up day for missed instruction. Students will report.

The board also approved three student expulsions, one administrative leave of a professional personnel with pay that began Dec. 4, 2024, and will continue until a resolution is reached, and the remainder of the consent and personnel agendas.

The board will have its next regular meeting at 4:30 p.m. on Feb. 4 in the Central Board Office.