Walton County School Board invites public participation in budget workshop

 During last night's School Board meeting, Chairman Bill Laird announced that the board will hold an important workshop on budgetary matters next Tuesday, Feb. 24, at 5:00 p.m. at the Tivoli Complex in DeFuniak Springs. Laird encouraged the public to attend and weigh in on priority areas for budget cuts necessitated by the reduced state funding.

In other business, the Board took the following actions:

- Accepted a facilities report, while noting that future uses of Walton High School, not necessarily including demolition of any usable buildings, is yet to be determined.

- Approved consent agenda items.

- Held a public hearing on the Student Progression Plan. (No public comments were presented.)

- Listened to and discussed a citizen group proposal regarding support of designating Point Washington as a historic preservation area with certain constraints relating to development. The Board passed a resolution after some debate, agreeing to Darrel Barnhill's amendment to the proposal, which did not specify restrictions, but supported the concept.

- Heard a presentation on the Transition to Teaching Grant, that provides teachers already in the employment of the District with financial support toward upgrading their certification to teach in another area of education than that in which they are already certified.

- Approved revision of three job descriptions to further detail physical requirements of the positions.

- Approved personnel recommendations.

- Approved construction change orders for Mossy Head and Walton High Schools

-Approved updating of the Walton Education Foundation, Inc. article of incorporation and by-law amendments; approved appointment of Mildred Wilkerson to Bill Laird's expiring term as Board Member.

- Authorized Superintendent Carlene Anderson to secure legal counsel for an administrative hearing resulting from an employee termination.

- Scheduled three expulsion hearings for 3 p.m. on Feb. 24.