Breathitt Board accepts bids, recognizes teams

The Breathitt County Board of Education met in regular session on Tuesday, April 22, to approve several bids, pay some bills, and recognized several students and teams.

With all members present, the Board approved bids for several services, including physical therapy, fuel, pest control, soft drinks, mowing, fire extinguishers, athletic supplies, tires, food, oil, transportation supplies, and sprinkler systems for the 2025-2026 school year.

The board also approved $100,000 to remodel and update the locker rooms for the Boys’ and Girls’ Basketball teams in the Coliseum and up to $40,000 to purchase a new scoreboard for the baseball and softball fields.  

Board members approved a motion to have Curd Surveying appraise a piece of property adjoining the Lakeside Campus “for the purpose of a potential property purchase.”  The proposed property expansion would allow for more parking and “other educational uses.”   

By a unanimous vote, the Board approved an amended school calendar and set the students’ last day of school for May 30, 2025.  The last day for teachers and staff was announced for June 10 to fulfill their 185-day contracts. 

The board introduced the BHS Cheerleaders for winning the 2025 Kentucky In-Game Cheer State Championship during the state tournament.  The Board also recognized the Boys’ Basketball team for the 55th District Tournament win and the 14th Region Championship.  

The BHS Fishing Team of Tucker Neace and Caleb Watkins was recognized for the Student Angler Federation State Championship.  Aden Howard was honored for his second-place win in the Martin Luther King, Jr. Poster Contest.  The coaches and assistants were also recognized. 

The Board spent nearly an hour in executive session discussing Superintendent Phillip Watt’s performance review and emerged at 6:33 without taking action.

Board members approved an omnibus motion that paid five bills totaling $1,552,428.64 for work at the new Breathitt Vocational School and bus garage building on the Lakeside Campus.

Motions were also approved to hire architectural services for roof and gutter work at Breathitt High School and up to $1.4 million to design and build, if feasible, a new track and outdoor physical education facilities at the former SMS campus. 

After meeting for an hour and forty-five minutes, the Board adjourned at 6:45 p.m. to attend the annual Academic Boosters hosted in the Fairce O. Woods Coliseum.