The Chattooga County Board of Education held their regular monthly work session meeting Monday night at the Board of Education office. The Board heard presentations from three architect firms vying for the opportunity to become the new architect for Chattooga County Schools. The firms were: Southern A&E, JK&H and Buckley & Associates. The board also opened several sealed bids for various school improvement projects. The first project requiring bids was a roofing project at Menlo School. The next project requiring bids concerned the resurfacing of the gym floor at Summerville Middle School, and the last project requiring bid submission was gym floor at Leroy Massey Elementary School. The Board also listened as Mr. Lynn Hall, Young Farmer teacher at Chattooga High School, presented information regarding a new Agricultural Pavilion that he, along with other people in and around the community are working on. According to Mr. Hall, the pavilion would serve as a multi-use facility and would have a heated and cooled enclosed area for indoor community and school related functions, as well as an open air outdoor component that would serve as an area to show livestock, host a farmer’s market or provide for any other outdoor agricultural function. Mr. Hall and several others are working toward submitting a grant to secure the majority of the money for the funding of this building. He wants the Board’s approval to use the land across from the Board of Education office for the location of the facility.

Upon attending to all the business items on the agenda, Board Chairman William "Fuzz" Anderson, made an amendment to the policy that the public not be able to speak at a meeting unless they were on the agenda, and  allowed members of the community that had gathered at the meeting to speak on the issue regarding the recent dismissal of Chattooga High School football coach John Starr from his coaching position. Several members of the community were able to speak about their disapproval of the decision to dismiss Coach Starr. The Board heard their comments and Chairman Anderson reminded everyone that if they wish to be put on the agenda to speak about any school related issues their request must be submitted in writing five days prior to the Board meeting. 

The next Board of Education meeting will be held Monday, October 13, at 7:00pm at the Board of Education office located at 33 Middle School Road.