Martin County School District bans medical cannabis on school property

The Martin County Board of Education in a meeting July 8 (left to right): Recorder Dena James, District 1 BOE member Mickey McCoy, District 4 BOE member Steven Gauze, Superintendent Larry James, District 3 BOE Member Lorna Cassady, District 2 BOE member Bowie Clark and District 5 BOE member Kathleen Price. (Citizen photo)

BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN

INEZ — The Martin County Board of Education has decided to prohibit the use of medical marijuana by students on school property. The decision was made in a BOE meeting July 8 during the second reading of the Kentucky School Board Association (KSBA) Policy and Procedure updates.

Superintendent Larry James explained that the BOE must either permit or prohibit the use of medical cannabis in adopting the KSBA policy, as medical cannabis will be legal in the state starting Jan. 1, 2025.

James mentioned discussing the issue with District 4 BOE member Steven Gauze, a nurse practitioner.

“There is really not a lot of guidance on it going legal in the state of Kentucky,” Gauze said. “I have a ton of questions but haven’t seen anything yet.”

James recommended the board vote to prohibit medical marijuana use.

“If it comes to the point where we have a student who wants to be in school and has to be in school, and they need that for medical reasons, then we can back up,” James said. “What worries me is that they use mental problems for everything. I’d rather just say ‘no.’ To be honest, if someone requires that on a daily basis, then they probably don’t need to be in school.”

District 2 BOE member Bowie Clark concurred, saying, “We can cross that bridge later.”

District 1 BOE member Mickey McCoy added, “I would never go against a doctor’s order. And that is where I think it needs to rest—between the doctor and their patient in consultation with us.”

With the decision to prohibit medical marijuana use, the BOE voted to accept the updated KSBA policy.

BOE advances solar for high school

The BOE moved forward with the solar panel installation project at Martin County High School by awarding the contract to Louisville-based Calhoun Construction for $334,000.

James noted that the Mountain Association, a community economic development nonprofit, donated an additional $20,000, bringing its total contributions to $70,000. This donation, along with $100,000 from the Martin County Solar Project developer Savion and revised projections, reduced the project’s payback period from 18.8 years to 7.7 years.

McCoy expressed gratitude.

“I would like to thank Josh Bills [senior energy analyst] of the Mountain Association,” he said.

The high school solar installation will be a 45 kW ground array behind the school consisting of 100 solar panels. Experts predict that solar installation will save the school district around $12,500 per year in electricity costs.

Local planning committee formation

James announced the district’s readiness to appoint a local facilities planning committee, which is required every four years.

“We have to have a whole bunch of members and one of them is a board member,” he said.

Clark volunteered for the position.

The committee also requires three community leaders. After two weeks of advertising for those three leaders without response, the BOE nominated and accepted Robert Greer, Dwayne Mills and Lisa Kirk as members.

The committee will also include four teachers from site-based councils, four additional teachers, and four parents from site-based councils, with school principals assembling the names.

Other BOE actions

In other actions, the BOE:

  • Approved the list of Admission and Release Committee Chairpersons for the 2024-2025 school year, authorizing these individuals to allocate resources for students with disabilities.
  • Approved 75 as the anticipated number of emergency substitute teachers.
  • Accepted the 2024 Special Education Annual Determination.
  • Accepted an updated personnel list from the superintendent.
  • Approved paid warrants totaling $1,034,300 and orders of the treasurer amounting to $605,705.


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