This is the reason nobody wants to coach in Pound, and if they do coach in Pound, it isn't for very long.



Proposal puts Wise coaching stipends on chopping block By Steve Igo


Published February 8th, 2010 | 0 Comments








WISE ? First-term member of the Wise County School Board Rocky Cantrell pushed for the elimination of all coaching stipends on Monday as a way to help deal with a projected $4.5 million budget deficit for next fiscal year.

Cantrell said the move would save over $373,000 for 2010-11 and insisted the item be placed on the board?s next action agenda.

Cantrell, of Pound, was elected in November. He said all coaching positions ? including activities like drama, forensics, cheerleading and PACE competitions along with athletics ? should be done on a voluntary basis ?until we get this shortfall straightened out.?

Coaching stipends are not included in a budget-cutting plan now before the board that would eliminate at least 47 teaching positions, most if not all to be absorbed by retirements at the end of the current school year, among a host of other cuts and staff reductions.

School Superintendent Jeff Perry said his administration had no problem putting any item on an action agenda requested by any board member, but advised communities may have a problem with all coaching stipends being put on the chopping block with little time to reflect and respond. Perry said athletic and other extracurricular pursuits have instructional value, too.

Board Vice Chairman Mike Mullins said Cantrell?s recommendation was unreasonable.

?I apologize to the coaches of Wise County for even having this discussion,? Mullins said.

He said Cantrell?s recommendation was in ?poor taste for this community and this board.?

?It?s not like we?re taking bread off their table,? Cantrell responded.

Another testy item related to budget cuts involved the director of elementary education position at the Central Office. Last month Big Stone Gap?s Betty Cornett and Appalachia?s Mark Hutchinson brought up potential elimination of that position as an added budget-cutting measure, yet both expressed surprise the Wise County Principals Association brought the matter up on Monday.

J.W. Adams Combined School Principal George Barton defended the K-8 director?s position on Monday. Cornett and Hutchinson grilled Barton why the WCPA wanted to discuss something not presently included in the budget-cutting proposal.

?There are 46 line items of cuts being entertained by this board,? Hutchinson said. ?It disturbs me that (the WCPA) wants to address us about a proposal that?s not even made this list.?

?In the Central Office the sky seems to be the limit, and I can?t understand it,? Cornett said. ?To say that you have to have a director of elementary education for the principals to have success, well, I?m sorry.?

Barton said while he respected Cornett?s opinion, he asked her to respect the WCPA?s opinion, too.

Perry said the board provided the WCPA with an opportunity to address the board at every meeting, just as it does the Wise County Education Association, and while the board or individual members needn?t agree with a WCPA opinion, the board has an obligation to heed Barton?s request for respect for that opinion.

In high school consolidation matters, Perry said he asked the Norton School Board earlier Monday if the city school division may still be interested in joining the county?s consolidation effort. Perry said his impression was city school officials were open to ?furthering the conversation? but not committed to a merger of the two school divisions at this point