Carroll county schools need money 11-06-2009

CARROLL COUNTY SCHOOL OFFICIALS WENT BEFORE THE COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD THURSDAY NIGHT. ABOUT 250 PEOPLE ATTENDED THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING THURSDAY TO DISCUSS THE CARROLL COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT'S NEED FOR MORE MONEY. RECENTLY, SUPERINTENDENT BILLY JOE FERGUSON STATED THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS NOT BROKE, BUT NEEDS MONEY TO STAY AFLOAT.  THE SCHOOL BOARD HAS NOT APPROVED THE $100,000 REQUESTED FOR PAYROLL AND TO PAY OTHER BILLS BUT DID RECEIVE $9,000. THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAD TO CALL TWO SPECIAL MEETINGS IN OCTOBER TO DISCUSS THE MONEY SITUATION, BUT WAS DENIED THE NEEDED MONEY TWICE BY THE SCHOOL BOARD. LAST NIGHT THE SCHOOL BOARD DID APPROVE MONEY FOR NOVEMBER PAYROLL. THE MEETINGS MINUTES INDICATE THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS NO CHOICE BUT TO REGISTER A NO-CONFIDENCE VOTE IN THE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION'S ABILITY TO MANAGE AND DISTRIBUTE LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDS. CHANNEL 6 SPOKE TO SUPERINTENDENT BILLY JOE FERGUSON WHO STATED, THAT HE TRIED TO TELL THE SCHOOL BOARD BEFORE THAT THE MONEY WOULD BE NEEDED BECAUSE OF RECENT BUDGET CUTS. HE ALSO STATED THAT HE IS GLAD THAT THE MONEY AS APPROVED FOR THE NOVEMBER BUDGET, BUT FEELS THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD WAS VERY INSENSITIVE TO THE NEEDS OF EMPLOYEES. FERGUSON IS APPRECIATIVE OF THE SUPPORT FROM OTHERS, AND WILL CONTINUE TO WORK TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL EMPLOYEES ARE PAID FOR THEIR SERVICES. THE CARROLL COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS ABOUT 150 EMPLOYEES.