PINEVILLE — The Bell County Board of Education met Monday to receive their audit, approve bids for schools furnishings, and recognize their fourth nationally certified teacher.

Auditor Troy Gaw from Gaw and Associates presented the school’s annual audit for 2009.

While he commended the board on the results from their audit, he did have some recommendations.

“I had a couple of recommendations that we came across while we were in the process of completing the audit,” Gaw stated to the board.

He recommended the finance officer get more training and for food service to ensure all reports have accurate information.

“Budget Title 1 changes throughout the year and it should be reflected throughout the actual figures. You need to make sure reconciliation is done whether it’s monthly or quarterly,” said Gaw.

He also audited school activities.

“Schools are doing much better, however there still needs to be much improvements.”

He said schools need to use purchase orders on a consistent basis and in regards to ticket sales, he said there needed to be a ticket taker and a money taker, with both signatures on documentation.

“It’s a simple fix if they’ll just get everybody to sign the forms at the appropriate place and at the appropriate time.”

No representatives from the Bell County Area Technology Center construction project were present at the meeting, but Thompson gave the board an update on the project.

“They’ve got air and heat on the first and third floors now,” said Thompson, referring to architect Sean Benson’s report. “They’ve made a lot of progress over the last month.”

He said in November there was only one rain delay.

Thompson also gave the enrollment report and said that in the fourth month of school, attendance actually improved.

Now that the vo-tech building is nearing completion, the board approved bids to furnish the building and get intercoms.

The board spent a lengthy amount of time debating whether to accept bids from JohnCo or Tom Sexton and Associates. The board decided to accept some bids from both contractors.

The board also recognized Christi Lefevers for becoming Nationally Board Certified.

“Now that you’re nationally board certified, you’re taking your capacity as a teacher to the next level,” said Thompson.

Thompson complemented Lefever, saying she is a “world class teacher.”

He said in comparison to rank one certification where a teacher might go take classes or write papers, this was actually completed in practice.

Lefevers encouraged other teachers to follow suit and get certified in their subject area.

“It’s just going to take the district to the next level.”

Lefevers said that there were over 200 teachers nationally certified in Kentucky in 2009 and that the bulk of them were in Kenton and Jefferson Counties.

Thompson gave an update on the status of Bell County High School’s track, which is currently in disrepair. He said that Tennis Technologies would come and remove the rubber from the track over the winter. Thompson said the track would be unusable for competitions in the spring.

Stephen Woodward is a Staff Writer for the Daily News. He may be contacted at swoodward@middlesborodailynews.com.

STEPHEN WOODWARD/Middlesboro Daily News

Auditor Troy Gaw from Gaw and Associates presented the school’s annual audit for 2009.