• approved Johnny Clement, Billy Crum and Jessie McDade to serve on the Carroll County Library Board with a term expiring June 2005.
• approved a continuing resolution to continue operating on the 2001-2002FY budget until the 2002-2003FY budget can be approved.
• approved year-end amendments to the budget.
• approved as notaries public were: Margaret Penny, Renee Miller, Julie Maddox, Lillian C. Rice, and Shari Summers.

 
Some 375 young anglers from four states joined a dedicated host of volunteers and Steve McCadams recently for the third annual "Casting For A Cure" Kids Fishing Rodeo at Carroll Lake last Saturday.

Thanks to TWRA and a lot of volunteers, good weather, hungry fish and enthusiastic youngsters, it was another huge success. There were three catfish weighing in at over three pounds!

With the help of some 70 separate donors, every kid received a prize packet whether they landed a fish or not. Some even earned big prizes of bicycles, resort vacations, engraved plaques, and more. However, the memories will likely outlast whatever prizes they took away.

In addition to sending them all home with something, including a big smile and pleasant memory, a donation will be made to the American Cancer Society for approximately $8,000. That's approximately $1,500 more than last year's contribution!

A $7,000 contribution was made during the rodeo to the American Cancer Society's Carroll County North Relay For Life and another $1,000 will be made to the Henry County Relay For Life Event from the Henry School concession stand.

"The event is rather special for me," said McCadams. "While it takes a lot of time and effort, each year I get to see some old friends and dig up some fond memories of my childhood days spent at Carroll Lake."

"While some of us are cancer survivors, we all have friends or family that have been victims of this terrible disease," he added. "Anyway, it was there I landed my first fish some 42-years ago, thanks to a father and grandfather who used to take me fishing. Back then there was the annual Jaycee fishing rodeo and I slipped up and won my age bracket, thanks to a crappie, shellcracker, warmouth and some starving bluegill."

A few years past and the rodeo kind of faded away, taking with it the opportunity for a lot of youngsters to enjoy and participate in the popular sport.

"Four years ago, while recovering from surgery and the news that a dreadful monster called cancer had paid me a visit, I had time to mull over several things," said Steve. "I made a pledge to the big fisherman in the sky during that recovery period. If he would let me see a few more sunsets then I would attempt to help others beat this disease while mixing a little fellowship with his work along the way."

It seemed only fitting to McCadams that he return a kids fishing rodeo to his boyhood home where a lot of great times were had beneath the shady oaks and around the lily pads of Carroll Lake.

So, he got to working on it and wondered if the community would support it and how much, if any, interest might be shown from young anglers.

Any doubts were put to rest with the first successful rodeo and each subsequent year has only gotten better. Over 1,300 kids have participated in the rodeo since its inception. It has been a labor of love for organizers and working on the event has brought a lot of folks together.

"I've seen many old friends that now have kids of their own who have participated in the rodeos," noted McCadams. "Some had never fished before but are now "hooked on fishing", so to speak. Kids remember most those things you do with them, not just for them."

"Anyway, that's how this fishing story got started and not only have we introduced hundreds of kids to the great outdoors but we've fought fish and cancer at the same time," he said.

"Plans are already underway for next year's event. After all, I've made a pledge and thus far, the big angler in the sky is delivering on his end," McCadams said.

A tip of the hat to all those parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts and others who took the time to bring the kids to the rodeo.
 

The state's budget ax has targeted many areas including $373,200,000 normally appropriated to K-12 education. With the failure of the proposed 4.5 percent income tax and a failure to extend sales tax to many now exempt items, the budget committee has been working to reduce the overall costs.

Proposed reductions statewide include $373,160,000 to the Basic Education Program, $25,400,000 for teacher extended contracts, and $1,700,000 for Driver's Education.

In Carroll County, the county school district is projected to lose $204,283 (five employment positions), Hollow Rock-Bruceton SSD -$373,413 (10 employment positions); Huntingdon SSD $609,147 (15 employment positions); McKenzie SSD $610,227 (15 employment positions); South Carroll SSD $204,283 (5 employment positions); and West Carroll SSD $514,792 (13 employment positions). Average compensation for certified personnel at the schools is as follows: Carroll County $39,739; Hollow Rock-Bruceton $37,865; Huntingdon $40,332; McKenzie $40,052; South Carroll $38,130; and West Carroll $39,393.

McKenzie Director of Schools Jim Ward said he hopes to have all tenured teachers "back on board" next year. The system will not replace three teaching positions that were vacated due to retirements last year. Ward said the local school system has experienced a reduction in the number of students. Over the past four years, the system is down 100 students, which greatly affects funding from the state. Recently, the General Assembly approved the system's request to grant it authority to raise taxes. Presently the tax rate is $1.55 per $100 assessed value.

McKenzie Special School District -If the Downsizing Ongoing Governmental Services (DOGS) budget passes, MSSD will attempt to "preserve instructional programs," said Ward. They will ask the State to relax some of its requirements. Among the requests will be 190 days required for teachers instead of a 200-day contract, authority to slightly raise the student/teacher ratio, and to eliminate fee waivers for students from lower income families.

Huntingdon Special School District - Director of Schools Danny Truett said he does "not want to lay off any personnel" nor damage the curriculum. He believes the public is not aware of the seriousness of the budget cuts. Only something drastic, such as keeping the doors closed until funding is in place, will make the public aware of the seriousness of the matter, said Truett. If the DOGS budget is approved, Truett hopes the state will relax mandated items such as guidance counselors, school nurses, duty-free lunch periods, and student/teacher ratios. He is awaiting the state's final decision and will work with the local board of education to determine the necessary action.

West Carroll Special School District - Director of Schools Eric Williams said 87 percent of the school's budget is geared toward personnel salaries and benefits. West Carroll recently requested and received permission to raise local property taxes if needed. He stated that the local board is reluctant to raise taxes. Williams said passage of the DOGS budget will definitely affect the number of personnel. If the state fails to provide necessary funding, Williams said he believes the state will allow waivers on class size limits, teacher planning periods, reduce the number of required days for teachers, and end of course/school testing. Maintenance on school buildings will also be reduced, said Williams. The West Carroll School Board has scheduled a budget meeting on June 25, hoping that the legislature will have made its decision by then.

Hollow Rock-Bruceton School District - Director of Schools Cliff Sturdivant said the local board of education will have to look at budgetary areas that "don't affect instructional areas." If the DOGS budget is approved, HR-B may have to increase pupil/teacher ratios to levels prior to BEP funding. Sturdivant is upset that schools in West Tennessee have complied with the requirements of BEP and now the state is attempting to renege on its obligation to fund the schools.

South Carroll Special School District (Clarksburg) - Director of Schools David Huss said he sees no alternative but to reduce the number of personnel if the DOGS budget is approved. Seventy to eighty percent of the school's budget goes to salary and benefits. One possibility is to reduce the number of teaching days instead of reducing the number of teachers. Each teacher would be paid less, however, fewer teachers would be eliminated. Huss favors a shorter contractual year with the teachers in order to salvage some teaching positions. He praised the schools in Carroll County for working to meet the requirements of BEP by providing smaller student/teacher ratios. However, if the DOGS budget is approved, each school will have plenty of classroom space and not enough personnel to use it. He closed his comments by saying that the school systems might get the state's attention if school systems refused to open their doors until full state funding is provided.

All directors of schools in Carroll County indicated that budget cuts will affect the number of personnel at each school. No viable alternative is available other than laying off personnel, failing to fill vacancy created by retirement or those positions currently vacant because of personnel on medical leave.

Although June is the usual time for budget preparation to begin a new fiscal year in July, none of the local schools has submitted its budget for passage. The County of Carroll is also eliminating its funding to the local schools in the third and final year of reduced funding. Some directors of schools call it a "double whammy" to be subject to funding reductions from the state and the county.

Phone (731) 352-3323 or Fax (731) 352-3322
washburn@mckenziebanner.com