In Vian School Board special meeting

In a special meeting held on Jan. 22, the Vian Board of Education addressed key items on their agenda, which included the re-employment of the school superintendent and accepting resignations from two school employees.

The meeting began with the presentation of the financial audit by Patten & Odom, CPA’s, PLLC, with a comprehensive discussion on audit findings and financial procedures of the school district.

During the superintendent’s report, Superintendent John Brockman said the recognition of students for the All-State Choir would be postponed to the February meeting due to inclement weather conditions. The board also received updates on high school activities, athletic facilities, and acknowledged Board Appreciation Month.

The business section of the meeting featured a detailed presentation of payroll, encumbrances, and warrants for all funds. A motion to approve encumbrance numbers and changes within the 202324 General Fund was passed with a unanimous vote.

Fundraising initiatives, including a motion to approve a fundraiser by the high school band, were discussed. The motion, proposing fundraising activities at Simple Simon’s to raise money for a trip to Silver Dollar City in May, was approved with unanimous consent.

In the regular business segment, the board approved minutes for all special/regular meetings from December 2023. Additionally, the board voted on various items, including bids for furniture for the new high school, the school calendar for the 202425 academic year, and the approval of district capacity numbers. The surplus of high school library books was also addressed and approved.

The meeting concluded with a proposed executive session, invoking statutory authority for discussion of employment matters and real property transactions.

Discussions during the executive session included the employment of Superintendent Brockman for the 2024-25 school year, along with the employment status of Diana Weed and Barbara Ross in the high school’s special education and mathematics departments.

Upon returning to open session, the board took action on the executive session items. Brockman was re-employed as superintendent, while the resignations/ retirements of Weed and Ross, effective June 30, 2024, were accepted.

This news story is based on the unofficial minutes from the board meeting and could be in error if the minutes are changed prior to adoption.