Big Horn County School District No. 1 Board of Trustees set the date and time for a public meeting to outline and gain input about upcoming facilities issues in relation to the construction of the new 6-12 facility to be built in Cowley.


The public hearing is set for Tuesday, Feb. 26, at 7 p.m. at Rocky Mountain Middle School in Deaver.


Board Chairman Bryan Lee said two points that will be addressed at the public hearing are the possibility of limiting the vo- ag program and closing the Deaver facility, moving middle-school students to the Byron facility for the 2008-09 school year. Board members mulled these issues in executive session at their regular meeting Tuesday and will make a similar presentation at Tuesday’s public hearing.


 “We will try to present all of the factors that we have considered,” Lee said, “and the driving force behind this is fiscal challenges.”


Following the public hearing, the board plans to take action on these issues at their regular monthly board meeting in March.

Facilities Director Michael Simmons reported to the board that the scheduled 65 percent value-engineering meeting scheduled for Tuesday night was postponed until a later date because of printing problems and weather complications. Simmons, Supt. Shon Hocker and several administrators met with Plan One Architects Tuesday morning to ensure that the VE meeting would run smoothly.


Simmons estimated it would be a couple weeks before he could go forward and six to eight weeks after that to proceed to 95 percent drawings.


Simmons also reported a leak that will be repaired in the radiant floor system in the old elementary portion of the Burlington facility.

•Two Rocky Mountain High school seniors made a request for funds for a senior trip to Denver. The board voted to approve the request and agreed to pay for the bus, bus driver, gas and a substitute teacher for three days to replace a staff member that will chaperone the trip.


•The board approved the district calendar on its second reading, with Ron McArthur opposed. McArthur voted against the motion because he said it requires teachers to work 108 additional hours without additional compensation.


•The board voted to approve several policy changes on second reading.


•The board voted on second reading to strike out the rule that a husband and wife team could not be employed with the district.


•The board voted to extend Supt. Hocker’s two-year contract for an additional year.


•Board members voted to approve a contract extension to principals Karma Sanders, Tim Winland, Wes Townsend and Matt Davidson.