School board withholds payment on roof

By MIKE WEST, Courier Editor

Cannon County Board of Education voted Thursday night (May 8) to withhold payment on a new roof for the football field house.

A majority of board members voiced their concerns about how panels of the roof were spotty and did not match in color.

“Looking from the top of the hill, it still looks very spotty,” said Chairman Randy Gannon.

Board member Bruce Daniel disagreed.

Daniel said, “I’ve driven by and thought it looked good.”

“The architect was assured by the contractor that it would clear up in 6 to 12 months,” said Director of Schools Barbara Parker, who said she had only received the bill for the project since the April board meeting.

“I personally don’t know if I would withhold all of the payment,” Parker said.

“He needs to be paid something,” said Gannon, who added if the difference in color doesn’t clear up “it will be a problem.”

“My opinion is if he gets full payment and it doesn’t clear up … too bad,” said Board member Chris Blackburn.

After brief discussion, Gannon moved to pay 90 percent of the $30,630 total cost and withhold 10 percent until the roof color evens out. Daniel seconded Gannon’s motion.

The motion failed after “no” votes by Board members Nathan Sanders, Blackburn and Chairman Gannon.

“They will write it off. Let’s not pay anything until it clears up,” Sanders said.

Blackburn then moved to withhold full payment on the project until “everything is satisfactory.” Sanders seconded.
The motion carried with only Daniel voting against it.

The board also approved three policy changes suggested by Director Parker but not without some controversy.

School board policy 1.400 dealt with allowing absent board members to “electronically” attend a school board meeting.

“In the past when this came up you just missed the meeting,” Parker said. The provision would provide a five-day notice allowing the board to set up electronic transmission of the meeting for the absent board member.

Board member Daniel opposed the measure saying the five-day notice was difficult to meet.

But the measure passed along with a change which would ban photography, videography and audio taping of any school board meeting without prior approval. There were no negative votes.

“I’m not going to deny anybody that right,” said Chairman Gannon. “I’m not going to make that decision on my own.”

In other action, the school board approved plans to allow West Side School to repair its sidewalks with the school to bear the cost. The board also OK’d dedicating Cannon County High School’s hydroponics greenhouse in the memory of student Jake Bush.