�����Ƶ

During the last regular board meeting on June 4, library director Breana Bowen said she believes the only excess levy call voters would accept is one which would mirror the 2018 excess levy call.

The 2018 excess levy call gave more than $1.4 million to the libraries and more than $455,000 to the parks, plus equalization checks, which would be paid out once additional tax revenue was collected from assessed property values. The proposed excess levy call, which failed in May�����Ƶ�s primary election, cut the library�����Ƶ�s excess levy funding to over $1.3 million and the parks�����Ƶ� to $200,000, without including the equalization payments.

Voter Mike Sullivan reminded the board during the delegations portion of the meeting that they need to listen to the taxpayers of Cabell County in order for the levy to pass in November.

�����Ƶ�The voters, the taxpayers of Cabell County, have made it clear, in fact, very clear, what they want and how they want the board to fix it. That is to reinstall the excess levy to the libraries and the parks, fulfill your obligation to the taxpayers and restore the funding as it has always been,�����Ƶ� Sullivan said.

This meeting was board members Alyssa Bond and Coy Miller�����Ƶ�s last regular meeting.

�����Ƶ�I do express well wishes to Mrs. Bond and Mr. Miller. It�����Ƶ�s been great working with the two of you. I appreciate the time I had to work with you,�����Ƶ� Treasurer Drew Rottgen said.

Coy Miller told The Herald-Dispatch following a board meeting after the election, although he was disappointed by not being re-elected because he enjoys serving on the board, he still plans on helping in any way he can.

�����Ƶ�I really appreciate the hard work and the challenges that our teachers face each and every day, and being on the board, to be able to help provide them with professional learning opportunities and provide them training to provide, hopefully, the resources they need to be able to continue that education process for our students, I really appreciate what they do on a day to day basis,�����Ƶ� he said.

�����Ƶ for the excess levy, he said, �����Ƶ�I understand the community, they have passion when it comes to their parks and their libraries and their school system. We�����Ƶ�ll have to work through that passion to bring everybody together to the table and figure out what�����Ƶ�s the best solution for everyone.�����Ƶ�

Miller said, to the new board members, he�����Ƶ�s around if there�����Ƶ�s any way he can offer his help while they transition into their new roles.

�����Ƶ�It�����Ƶ�s been an honor to work with (Miller),�����Ƶ� Saxe told The Herald-Dispatch in May. �����Ƶ�His expertise that he brought from the Corps of Engineers, his thoughtful questions and vetting of decisions before he would make a final decision was just so appreciated, and so I wish him the nest in the next chapter, and I also look forward to welcoming our two new board members.�����Ƶ�

Bond declined to comment.

�����Ƶ�I�����Ƶ�ve had the privilege of working with Mrs. Bond for the last four years. And she has also been someone who, you know, has a heart, and I think a calling to be a public servant, to be able to try to provide the very best opportunities for the students in Cabell County. And it has truly been a privilege to work alongside her,�����Ƶ� Saxe said.

In other business, Rottgen told the board the salary schedule for the 2024-25 school year would include a $12.30 per day increase for professional personnel and a $7 per day increase for service personnel, which is part of a state pay raise which was adopted during this year�����Ƶ�s legislative session.

The board also voted to approve the full consent agenda, including hiring Justina White as the new principal for Huntington Middle School.

The next regular meeting is set for 4:30 p.m. July 2. New board members Linda Childers and Reed Byers will be sworn in on July 1 and serve during the next meeting.