BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
INEZ — The Martin County Board of Education got down to business in a meeting Monday awarding bids and approving contracts for services for the 2022-2023 school year.
The board accepted bids for services including insurance, diesel, bus parts and accessories, tires, custodial supplies, water treatment, pest control and cleaning services.
Mountain Petroleum got the bid for diesel, Bluegrass for bus parts, American Bus for accessories, Best One Tire for tires, BWB Enterprises for custodial supplies, Chemsearch for water treatment, John Wayne Pest Control for pest control, and Professional Cleaning Services for janitorial services.
The BOE will donate a small bus to Martin County Emergency Management.
“I was approached about one of our buses that we don’t use anymore and haven’t used in years,” Schools Superintendent Larry James said. “They want to install a bunch of radios so they will have a mobile unit for emergencies.”
Board member Mickey McCoy made the motion to donate the bus.
“We seem to work rather well with the present administration,” McCoy said. “A good working relationship with the county judge/executive and his department is cool. Some schools have that, and I’m not saying we never did, but I know sometimes we haven’t.”
The board approved an agreement with Unite Service Corps of Operation Unite.
“We’ve had this the last two years that I can remember,” said James. “We pay $6,300, and Unite gives us a person. They work so many hours in each elementary school tutoring math in grades 3-5. We pay $6,300 and have a full-time tutor. It’s a good deal for us and a good deal for a kid still going to school. They get so much off for tuition and classes.”
Board members approved an agreement with Mountain Comprehensive Care for the Big Sandy Optimal Health Positive Prevention and Life Skills Program.
James said school principals met on the subject a couple of weeks ago.
“In elementary and middle school, they deal with making good choices,” said James. “In high school, they do teen pregnancy, prevention and things like that. It’s free of charge. I think they have a grant and have to work with certain groups of kids.”
The BOE also approved an agreement between Martin County High School and Mountain Comprehensive Care Center/Healing Program (Green Dot Program) for mental health services.
“It’s free for us,” said James.
The school district approved an agreement with Big Sandy Health Care.
“Big Sandy has been a good partner to us over the years,” said James. “We pay $20,000 for the nurses. We have one that we pay for, and then they provide nurses at all of our other schools.”
The BOE approved an agreement with Kentucky Christian University for dual credit courses.
The board approved an agreement with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet to provide the Alive At 25 program, a 4-1/2 hour driver’s awareness course designed by the National Safety Council for young drivers ages 15-24.
“This is the Kentucky safe driver class all kids have to have,” explained James.
The school district approved a contract with Trisha Giampalo Physical Therapy for services for 2022-2023.