As a continuing addition to the monthly meetings of informing the school board and attendees of how the counties schools are doing or highlighting special projects, Mr. Rollin McFarland with the Russell County Vocational School gave an informative presentation of a continuing solar panel project by his students at Monday night's meeting.

The project originated with a grant application in mid 2009 and with funding the school has been able to set up a bank of 39 solar panels with the ultimate goal of providing enough power to light the vocational school building.  Along the way the students have or will learn solar panel construction, electrical properties and procedures and statistical analysis of the efficiency of the solar bank.

The October, 2010, Treasurer's Monthly Report:  Balance on hand at beginning of month $1,526,664.93; total of all receipts for the month $1,403,901.72; disbursements $2,416,695.78; balance at close of month (cash in bank) $513,870.87; General Fund 1 $1,292,531.60; Special Projects $-207,482.82; Capital Outlay $48,904.64; KSPK/Building $-845,469.61; Construction $0.00; Food Service $207,558.03; FRC Child Care $17,829.03; Total Cash in Bank of all Funds $513,870.87.

After the School Activity Fund Reports were accepted and a medical leave granted to an employee, the board received the FY-10 Annual District Audit as mandated by the Kentucky Department of Education.  The overview informed the board that the audit showed that financial rules and regulations were being followed.  The audit showed that at the end of the fiscal year the system showed a total cash of all funds of approximately $-475,000 with a positive general fund as cash balance of $146,000 but that the school was at the time in the process of being reimbursed approximately$760,000 on state and federal grants.

The audit also showed that the general fund showed $126,000 at the end of year, which the general fund revenue was $20.8 million over the year and of that $4.6 million was paid on our behalf by the state towards insurance and retirement funds.  Expenditures were $21.2 million and the general fund balance increased by $217,000.  There was $64.1 million invested in capital assets with a book value of $47.2 million.  There was $27.4 in outstanding bonds; $1.7 million will be paid in principle this year.  The county received $4.8 in federal grant funding, $2.3 million of which was the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. $874,000 was received in state match funding, a decline of approximately $200,000 from the current year, a trend that is the same throughout much of the state.

The following groups received approval from Superintendent Kenny Pickett and the board for the following in-state field trips:  RCMS -2010 KCCT to visit Holloway Health & Wellness Center in Columbia; UCES 5th and 6th grade to visit Star Theater in Russell Springs; UCES 4th, 5th, and 6th grades to visit Russell Springs City Park; RCMS "On-A-Roll" 1st grade period cardholders to visit Key Twin Cinema in Russell Springs; UCES Principal's List to visit Russell Springs.

In keeping with the authorization of a Special Session of the Kentucky General Assembly the three following capital funds requests were accepted by the board for submission: $65,000 for payment of property insurance; $200,000 for football and baseball lighting at the RCHS; $30,000 for road improvement at the RSES.

After discussion of personnel issues of resignation of one instructor and the hiring of three substitute drivers the board adjourned.