POMEROY — The Meigs Local Board of Education voted to accept the resignation of Superintendent Rusty D. Bookman, submitted for the purpose of initiating earned retirement benefits, and then re-employing him for another two years following the end of his current contract on July 31, 2013.

The vote on the retirement/re-employment of Bookman as superintendent, was taken following an executive session at Tuesday night’s meeting. The Board members, Ryan Mahr, Ron Logan, Todd Snowden and Roger Abbott voted in favor while Larry Tucker voted “no.”

Bookman’s new contract will begin on Aug. 5, 2013 and will continue through July 31, 2015. While his current salary is $90,000, under the new contract it will be at the reduced figure of $75,000.

A public hearing on the retirement-reemployment of Bookman, as required by law, was held earlier.

In other business,

Reports on telephone changes geared to improve contacts with emergency units and with the parents of students where bus pickup schedules have been changed were given at Tuesday’s meeting of the Meigs Local Board of Education.

Matt Simpson, technology coordinator, reported on progress to convert all phones in the schools, from which now only interior calls can be made, so that emergency 9-1-1 calls can be made from anywhere in the buildings. He said that the emergency system alert will be completely wireless and that he anticipates that the change will be completed in all three buildings later this year.

Dean Harris, transportation coordinator, talked about developing a telephone system programmed to notify parents of students living in a specified area when the bus or buses for some reason or another cannot travel on a specific day or days.

Ron Hill, athletic director, presented the fall sports report to the Board which indicated an increase in attendance and gate receipts. He noted that the biggest gate at a football game was at the Southern-Meigs game. The total of gate receipts was $32,563 with expenditures of $14,490. He talked about the positive comments on the new field and said that the biggest attendance was at the Southern-Meigs games. He also report on the security at the stadium which is being handled this year by the sheriff’s department. As for the other programs, Hill showed receipts of $5,516 for volleyball with expenditures of $2,600, cross country, $604 with expenses of $890.

During the meeting the annual membership with the Ohio School Board Association in the amount of $5,824 was approved as was $320 to renew the annual Briefcase/School Management News subscriptions for this year.

As recommended by Bookman, Travis Abbott was hired as quiz team advisor at Meigs High School with Board member Roger Abbott abstaining; Bryan Zirkle as junior varsity softball coach, Josh Eddy as junior varsity baseball coach, and Derek Miller as volunteer baseball coach, and Marcia Kitchen as a substitute personal assistant for the remainder of the school year.