Beecher City Board Members Hear About Construction Trades Class

Beecher City school board members Monday heard about the construction trades class now underway at Effingham High School and manufacturing classes proposed for next year in the county in hopes of getting both the student and adult populations better equipped to fill jobs in the county labor pool.

Beecher City Superintendent Scott Cameron said the information was good and the idea is great, but there were questions about the program, particularly how to pay for it. A meeting for the general public is scheduled later this month to further discuss the initiative.

Board members passed the budget for the next fiscal year. Cameron said there is a deficit of about $100,000 more than last year, but said that was due to the purchase of two school buses. He said the district has the reserves to cover the shortfall.

The Board also accepted letters of retirement from four district employees; Diane Baker at the end of the 2016-17 school year, and Donetta Martin, Kevin Perkins and Alan Walk at the end of the 2017-18 school year.

Board members also granted the Beecher City FFA Chapter permission to attend the Farm Machinery Show in Louisville, Kentucky.