The Hartselle Board of Education took a step to begin purchasing land adjacent to Barkley Bridge Elementary School, which could give the school additional parking and room to grow.

School Superintendent Vic Wilson said he is planning to talk with United Country-Four Oaks Realty and Auction and the landowner about purchasing the property.

“Right now, we’re just looking ahead to the future,” Wilson said. “I think it would be property that we would be very interested in having.”

Jim Maynard of Martin & Cobey Construction reported that the blue sleeves on the trees in the wetlands section of the property might be removed next week during his final update on the Hartselle High project Monday. The period to remove the sleeves involved the trees breaking through the sleeves, which is happening now.

The environmental contractor will remove the sleeves. Elms, maples and water oaks are the varieties planted in the area. The trees, planted before the construction of the new school, will comply with federal regulations involving wetlands.

Maynard also reported the parking lot around the athletic complex should be completed next week. He added that there are a few punch list items that need to be completed and the artificial turf looks great inside the $2.2 million athletic fieldhouse.

Hartselle Utilities will also jet the lines around the facility to be sure all drainage is performing as it was intended.

In other business, the board:

• approved the fourth grade gifted students to travel to Nashville, Tennessee on April 18, 2014 to visit the Parthenon, country music Hall of Fame and the Hermitage Museum.

• approved Job description for Technology Coordinator and, job description and salary schedule for Technology Technician.

• approved William “Woody” Sanderson with Lanier Ford Shaver & Payne, P.C., Huntsville, Alabama, as the attorney to the Board.

• approved to dispose of a 1984 Chevrolet Series 10 truck and 247 desks at F.E. Burleson Elementary. The items will be sold on govdeals.com.

• approved Forestwood Farm’s bid for produce during the 2013-2014 school year.

• rejected all lawn maintenance bids.

• approved a quote from Boardsolution Modules for the electronic services for the board of education. This will work with iPads that were recently presented to the board members by Wilson.

• approved Stephen Ward & Associates to provide architectural services for the roof repair at the Pettey Center.

• approved quote from Fibrwrap Construction Services, Dallas, Texas, to repair the wall at Hartselle Junior High School.

• award the following contracts for the 2013-2014 school year: Mental Health Center of North Central Alabama, for an at-risk counselor, Mental Health Center of North Central Alabama, through the Quest Recovery Center for early intervention counselor and Behavioral Health Systems, Inc., in Birmingham to provide drug testing and screening.

• approved salary schedules.

• allowed the Hartselle Police Department to use the Instructional Resource Center (IRC) Building as the headquarters for school resource officers.

• allowed Wilson to authorize the use school facilities for fundraising to benefit the school system and its students.

• approved travel reimbursement procedure.

• approved the resignation of Paige Betterton, instructional aide, based at the central office.

• approved the employment of the following: Sonja McKelvey for a part-time gifted teacher Crestline Elementary and Burleson Elementary, Chandler Orr-Phillips for an instructional aide, freshman girls basketball coach and assistant softball coach; Anna Marie Perrin for an instructional side, Blair Brothers for a maintenance position, moved HHS counselor Dana Gladden from a nine-month contract to a ten-month contract, Jamie Roden for JV girls basketball coach and Wynette Orr for ticket coordinator.

• Dr. Franklin Penn for 26-day contract to provide training regarding special services testing, drug testing, at-risk counseling and homeschool and private school recording procedures

• approved additional baseball supplements, for the 2012-2013 school year for John Hall, Jerry Childers, Bryant Whitlock, Chris Wimberley and Jeff Hanners.

• approved the following volunteer coaches pending background clearances: Dan Kolenz – Hartselle High School soccer, Cameron Carlisle – Hartselle High School soccer, Leonard Morris – Hartselle High School basketball, Joey Riley – Hartselle Junior High School volleyball and Ana Ward – Hartselle Junior High School volleyball.

Randy Garrison contributed to this report.