H. B. 2722
(By Delegates Morgan, Louisos, Fragale, Dempsey,
Paxton, Hubbard and Canterbury)
[Originating in the Committee on Education]
[March 2, 2001]
A BILL to amend and reenact section four, article five, chapter
eighteen of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine
hundred thirty-one, as amended, relating to county boards of
education; meetings; employment and assignment of teachers;
budget hearings; compensation; expenses; affiliation with
state and national associations; authorizing compensation of
county board members who serve on administrative councils
of a multi-county vocational centers for attending council
meetings; and providing that such meetings are not counted
under the limit of sixty compensable board meeting per
fiscal year.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That section four, article five, chapter eighteen of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as
amended, be amended and reenacted to read as follows:
ARTICLE 5. COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION.
§18-5-4. Meetings; employment and assignment of teachers; budget
hearing; compensation of members; affiliation with
state and national associations.
The board shall meet on the first Monday of January, except
that in the year one thousand nine hundred eighty-two, and every
year thereafter, the board shall meet on the first Monday of
July, and upon the dates provided by law for the laying of
levies, and at such other times as the board may fix upon its
records. At any meeting as authorized above and in compliance
with the provisions of article four of this chapter, the board
may employ such qualified teachers, or those who will qualify by
the time of entering upon their duties, necessary to fill
existing or anticipated vacancies for the current or next ensuing
school year. At a meeting of the board, on or before the first
Monday of May, the superintendent shall furnish in writing to the
board a list of those teachers to be considered for transfer and
subsequent assignment for the next ensuing school year; all other
teachers not so listed shall be are considered as reassigned to
the positions held at the time of this meeting. Such The list of those recommended for transfer shall be included in the minute
record and the teachers so listed shall be notified in writing,
which notice shall be delivered in writing, by certified mail,
return receipt requested, to such the teachers' last-known
addresses within ten days following said the board meeting, of
their having been so recommended for transfer and subsequent
assignment.
Special meetings may be called by the president or any three
members, but no business shall may be transacted other than that
designated in the call.
In addition, a public hearing shall be held concerning the
preliminary operating budget for the next fiscal year not less
than ten days after such the budget has been made available to
the public for inspection, and within a reasonable time prior to
the submission of said the budget to the state board for
approval. and at such hearing Reasonable time shall be granted
to any person or persons who wish to speak regarding parts or all
of such at the hearing to any person who wishes to speak
regarding any part of the budget. Notice of such the hearing
shall be published as a Class I legal advertisement in compliance
with the provisions of article three, chapter fifty-nine of this code.
A majority of the members shall constitute constitutes the
quorum necessary for the transaction of official business.
Board members may receive compensation at a rate not to exceed
one hundred dollars per meeting attended, but they shall may not
receive pay for more than sixty meetings in any one fiscal year:
Provided, That board members who serve on an administrative
council of a multi-county vocational center may also receive
compensation for attending meetings of the council at the same
rate as for meetings of the board. Meetings of the council are
not counted as board meetings for purposes of determining the
limit on compensable board meetings.
Members shall also be paid, upon the presentation of an
itemized sworn statement, for all necessary traveling expenses,
including all authorized meetings, incurred on official business,
at the order of the board.
When, by a majority vote of its members, a county board deems
it a matter of public interest, such the board may join the West
Virginia school board association and the national school board
association, and may pay such dues as may be prescribed by said
the associations and approved by action of the respective county boards. Membership dues and actual traveling expenses of board
members for attending meetings of the West Virginia school board
association may be paid by their respective county boards out of
funds available to meet actual expenses of the members, but no
allowance shall may be made except upon sworn itemized
statements.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from
the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that
would be added.