The Limestone County school board approved the majority of the items on the agenda at the Oct. 3 meeting.

One item was withdrawn by Superintendent Dr. Tom Sisk until more information can be gathered. Sisk withdrew his request that the board approve the upgrading of portable classrooms to code.

According to Steve Wallace, Director of Maintenance for Limestone County Schools the system’s approximately 40 portables do not meet the current fire alarm codes set forth by the Alabama Building Commission and could possibly be closed down by the fire marshall if they are not brought up to code.

Board members Earl Glaze and Brett McGill requested that more definitive information including a copy of the code and a deadline from the fire marshall be supplied before the board votes on the measure.

Tommy Hunter, the director of human resources and operations, said they are working on getting that information together and will be ready to present it to the board at a future meeting.

The Creation of 21st Century Community Learning Centers at Tanner, Elkmont and Sugar Creek elementary schools was also approved. Funding for these instructional, after-school and summer enrichment programs will come from a $1.35 million federal grant.

The board also approved a proposal that will allow high schools to charge for parking at inner county varsity football games. The board also established that the fee not exceed $5.

“I’m very pleased with the board’s decision about the parking fees,” Director of Transportation Rusty Bates said. “The policy does not force them to participate but rather allows them to.”

“I hope all of our schools will participate because it will raise additional revenue for our program,” he added.

Bates presented the parking fee requests on behalf of Limestone County principals at the last school board meeting.

The board also agreed to allow schools to increase entrance fee prices from $4 to $5 at 2017-18 middle school and junior varsity games. Varsity football admission prices will increase from $6 to $7 next year.

“This will really help non-revenue sports like soccer and baseball raise more money to put back into their programs,” Bates said.

Projects from the 2018 Capital Plan that the board approved at the Sept. 26 meeting — including the installation of air conditioning in the gymnasiums at Elkmont and Tanner Elementary schools and renovations at Ardmore High School — were met with unanimous approval from the board.

One of the last items approved would allow the board to solicit the services of the Alabama Association of School Boards to search for a new chief school financial officer at the cost of $5,000. Current CSFO Ann Swanner has indicated that she may retire.

“This is a preemptive measure on the part of the board,” Hunter said. “In the event that she does decide to retire, this would allows us to start the process with the AASB, because it can take a while to fill the position.”