SP trustees considering hiring agency to collect on bad checks

By Rupert Howell

A recommendation for South Panola School District to use a bad check recovery company split trustees 3-2 when the matter was tabled until the next month’s meeting September 16. 

That action took place August 19 when school trustees also voted their approval of an amended Ad Valorem Resolution requesting funding from county supervisors, approved a school bus turnaround list with 227 addresses, 50 of them new, and approved an extensive discipline policy and procedures.

The bad check recovery recommendation came from newly hired finance director David Rubenstein who explained school bookkeepers were having to run down checks having to make continued calls to parents.

“How much trouble is it?” Trustee Lygunnah Bean asked and was later told that the district had approximately 40 bad checks during the school year.

“I’m against it,” Bean said explaining that a $5 check would have bank charges and collection charges and be too much burden.

Trustee Buddy Gray stated that if given to a third party for collection, “I think people will be reluctant to write a bad check.”

“It takes the school out of collection of checks,” Rubenstein noted prior to the vote to table until next month.

Rubenstein has been hired to fill the position soon to be vacated by retiring Suzanne Covington.

Trustees Sandra Darby and Jerry Cooley voted with Bean to table the matter while Trustees Gray and Kenny Hopper voted against it.

Trustee Bean who also serves as Panola County Road Manager said that his department would actually work on a very limited number of addresses listed on the school bus turn around list.

No mention was made whether any addresses were removed from the list approved the previous year.

Superintendent Tim Wilder brought attention to the extensive discipline policy that also addresses bullying giving assistant superintendent Charles Beene and a committee of school administrators with coming up with additional documentation and changes that will be used to address discipline issues and their prescribed punishments.

The new policy also gives an additional level of due process to those accused of severe violations who are facing suspensions and  expulsions.

Earlier in the meeting new principals Charles Stevenson from Batesville Junior High School and James Smith of Pope were introduced to school board members.