By Dennis Brown

The Vanceburg Electric Plant Board met in regular session last week and approved a rate increase for electricity customers and a rate decrease for natural gas customers.

Superintendent Eric Bloomfield said he had reviewed the increases from Kentucky Power and formulated the best rate he could come up with for a break-even year for the utility company.

Vanceburg electric customers will receive a 15.58 percent increase on their bills effective June 1. The estimates at the previous month’s utility meeting were somewhat higher.

Kentucky Power increased rates charged to the local utility by more than 37 percent from the previous year and the annual payment to Kentucky Power increased from $64,000 last year to more than $467,000 this year.

While electricity rates are increasing, natural gas rates have already been lowered by 27 percent beginning at the first of May. Bloomfield said he was happy to see the lower rates become available for natural gas customers.

In other business last Tuesday, board members approved the renewal of insurance coverage for property, casualty, liability and workman’s compensation with the Kentucky League of

 Cities Insurance Trust through local agent Phil Hull at a cost of $101,105.

Bloomfield said the rate is the same as the previous two years and will include a six percent annual discount for the next three years.

Bloomfield reported that collections of delinquent accounts had been going well since the company began rounds of disconnects for some of those past due accounts. The company recently adopted measures to help with collections and determining deposits for customers who may be higher risk accounts.

He also reported that although the utility company did not receive any grant money from recent stimulus funding awarded to the state, pre-applications have been submitted for FEMA funding to purchase electric generators to power pump stations in the event of an extended power outage. That would allow for water to continue flowing to customers during lengthy power outages.

Bloomfield said that since the first of the year the utility company had applied for every grant dollar available to them.

Members approved financial reports and the May invoices before adjourning.

The Lewis County Board of Education met in regular session last week and Superintendent Maurice Reeder Jr. presented a success story with home page of district’s web site displayed on a projection screen.

Reeder pointed out that Tollesboro Elementary Schools Academic Team’s photo is featured on the site and said they had won in their division of the Limestone Academic League meet. He also noted information and links about swine flu on the web page. The site is located at www.lewis.kyschools.us.

Diane Johnson said LCHS Science teacher Sarah Poppelman is the recipient of an Amgen Award for Science Teaching Excellence. Only four winners were named in Kentucky.

Poppelman receives $5,000 and the school will receive $5,000 as part of the award. Johnson also said the Reading First Program at Central and Garrison Elementary Schools is progressing well with recent scores showing continued improvement in reading for elementary students. She said grades 4-9 will be added to the program next school year and math will also be included.

Members approved 2009-10 tentative budget totaling $21.5 million. Included in the budget is an estimated 2.5 percent salary increase and some decrease in enrollment and ADA funding.

Members approved 2008-09 financial auditor contract with Ross and Company in Louisville for $14,000.

The board approved a change order for the Tollesboro Elementary project totaling $5,668 for a water pressure reducing valve and additional steel bracing.

Members approved the 2009-10 KEDC membership agreement for $20,984.

The board approved a Lewis County Health Department contract to provide full time nurses at Tollesboro, Central and Garrison Elementary Schools and part time at Laurel Elementary for $35,000. Reeder said there will be benefits for all parties in working with local health department.

Members also approved a 2009-10 contract with Primary Plus for nurses at the Middle and High Schools for $80,000. The nurses at those schools have been in place for some time and will assist with new nurses coming into elementary schools.

The board approved the second reading of Code of Conduct with some minor changes from the previous version.

Members approved pre-application/notice of intent for possible FEMA project at old grade school building in Vanceburg. The purpose is for fund application of stimulus funding for the possible flood protection and renovation of building. Reeder noted the move allows them to look into the possibilities of such a project and the application can be withdrawn at any time.

Members approved summer meal program for meals at Central Elementary. The cost will be $2.50 for adults and free to those age 18 and under.

Members also approved schematic design of baseball field near high school. Reeder said the project has been in the planning stages for many years. He said the project is something we can all be proud of when it is completed. The project will include some artificial turf, dugouts and a grandstand.

The board went into closed session to discuss proposed or pending litigation and took no action when returning to open session.

In the superintendent’s report Reeder noted the retirement of Tonya Horsley as a teacher effective July 1 as well as the resignation of teachers Monica Stafford on June 30 and Roberto Abellan Gomez on June 6.

A notice of reduction in salary and responsibility for Ruby Brown and Joyce Bentley was reported with family medical leave for Karen Wolfe and sub teacher hire Stephanie Wilburn.

Summer school certified hires are Debbie Boling, Linda Breeze, Teresa Bryant, Charity Burriss, Pam Butler, Donna Dietrich, Greta Douthat, Glenda Gayheart, Teresa Griffitt, Sara Gullett, Jerry Hickle, Sharon Kegley, Sherri Lewis, Jim Lykins, Chastity McGowan, Susie Osborne (sub), Patty Owens, Tony Rizzo, Rick Robinette, Stacy Underwood and Joanna Yates.

Reeder reported the classified retirement of Nancye Hilterbrandt as a bus driver as of June 4 and the retirement of Deloris Bay as a cook as of July 1 along with the resignation of Nan Fite as LCHS secretary as of the last day of school.

Transfer: Kelly Lewis (71 days HS/MS Youth Service Center and 90 days GES/LES Family Resource Center).

Reduction in Contract: Kelly Lewis, Kathy Willis.

Classified Sub Hires: Jacob Sartin, bus driver. Pamela Sebastian, instructional aide.

Extra Duty Resignation: Scott Osborne, assistant baseball coach.

Summer School Hires: Classified – Kim Bloomfield, Nora Brown, Teresa J. Bryant, Leann Bryant, Shelley Crawford, Carol Cunningham, Rosalee Fannin, Karen Flannighan, Judy Hoffman, Donna Jamison, Glenna Lewis, Brenda Lykins, Shannon Nolen, Suzette Osborne, Sandy Stafford, Debbie Wilburn. Bus Drivers – Tony Corns, Todd Evans, Pam Flack, Carl Ginn, Tonya Hord, Scotty Lawhorn, Burl Lawson, Kasey Nolen, Mike Setters, Rick Shaw. Sub Drivers – Pam Hackworth, Cheri Kirby, Glenna Lewis, Melinda Monroe, Donna Morgan, Melissa Smith and Melinda Stafford.