Budget concerns, contracts, spark discussion among school board

JACKSON, Tenn. — The Jackson-Madison County School Board met as students are in their final month of school.

Next year’s budget, the construction contract for a new K through 8 school, and the new superintendent’s contract were discussed at the Jackson-Madison County School Board’s virtual meeting Thursday evening.

According to the financial report, the school system must cut a staggering $10.2 million from next year’s budget.

“Our funding from the county is derived from local sales tax. Therefore, they don’t anticipate the funding, then we have to cut budgets,” interim superintendent Ray Washington said.

Which is raising many concerns from the board.

“To go back through and cut a budget you’ve already worked through by that amount, it’s very difficult,” Washington said.

The board discussed the construction contract for building a new K through 8 school, and ended up pushing back further discussion until June.

“We already have the architect in place, we’ve selected a construction manager, we’re just finishing his contract so that we can at least start to plan the school out, so that when we do get funding, we don’t have to wait,” Washington said.

There was also discussion about the new superintendent contract for Dr. Marlon King.

“He is in this contract until June 30, 2024, with a compensation of a base salary of $185,000 a year,” district five board member Shannon Stewart explained.

The contract also includes moving expenses and automobile allowance.

“We got the information from other contracts and TSBA (Tennessee School Board Association), and that’s what they concluded what the contract would be,” Washington said.

Dr. King signs his contract Friday morning.