MADISON CO – The JMCS board met Monday night for a combined work session and board meeting.

For a second time the school board took up the county commission’s request to declare West Middle School available and return the property to the county commission.
Once the school declared the building would not be used for education the county wanted to repurppose the building to serve as a training facility for law enforcement and first responder.

Madison County Sheriff John Mehr, along with County Commission chairman
Gary Deaton, Senator Ed Jackson, and others, attended the meeting to show support for the recommendation.

Sheriff Mehr said the Regional Training Facility will be the only one like
it in the state.  Mehr said the facility will draw interest for surrounding
counties and from other states including Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi.

Commissioner Gary Deaton says he supports the recommendation becasue it is
good for the area and will help stimualte additional economic development
like convenience stores, restaurants and maybe a hotel.  Deaton said it
would be bad for the area to just leave the building vacant.

The motion passed 5-3 with Arnold, Alexander, and Hampton voting no.  Joe
Mays was absent.

In other business, the board reviewd a proposal from Fellowship Bible
Church for the use of West Bemis Middle school gym as a satellite site.

School board attorney Dale Thomas told the board an agreement would set a
precedent and they would have to open up to other churches if the were asked.

The agreement is for Sundays. The church will have to remove everything
they bring in before leaving each Sunday.  There will have to be an
agreement that stipulates idemnity, insurance, and liabilty.

David Clifft said the precedant concerned him.  Jim Campbell made the
motion to approve.  The motion passed 7-1. Clifft voted against it.

The board also approved a motion to repair bleachers at Rose Hill Middle
School at a cost not to exceed $30,000 and to preserve memorabilia from
schools closed during repurpose and reorganization.

The board will meet Friday night at 5:00 PM for the a board retreat. Among
other items the board will discuss the items pertaining to a
ssuperintendent search.  The meeting will be held at the School Central
Office building on North Parkway.  The public is invited.