The Cache County School Board rejected a proposal to buy 40-acres of land on the south end of the valley. Superintendent Steven Norton said there was an opportunity that deserved looking into. However, they felt there were some issues that were unresolved so the board decided to pass.

The south end of the valley is where they expect the most growth, said Norton. Eventually the district will need to build a third high school. When the time comes to build they expect that land will be available.

Federal Funds

The district will receive about $1.3 million from federal “Education Jobs Fund”. It is a one-time federal stimulus accepted by the State of Utah. There are limitations on how it’s spent. According to the U.S. Department of Education’s application for funds the district may use its for:

Compensation and benefits and other expenses, such as support services, necessary to retain existing employees, to recall or rehire former employees, and to hire new employees, in order to provide early childhood, elementary, or secondary educational and related services.

In other words, they must use the money for the teachers and staff of the schools. They cannot use it for other expenses or to pay down debt.

Norton reports that salaries across the district are down 4.1 percent and employee insurance premiums have gone up. He recommends that the district use the funds for a “one time salary augmentation.”