BOE Gives Cannery CD; Will Require It to Operate In Self-Sufficient Manner Moving Forward

Stephens County School board members say a Certificate of Deposit designated for the cannery will be turned over to the cannery, but that will be the last funding that the school board says it will give the cannery.

On Tuesday, the Stephens County Board of Education voted unanimously to place the funds available from a Certificate of Deposit designated for the cannery into the cannery account at Stephens County High School once the CD matures at the end of the month.

Under the motion, once the cannery has the funds from that CD, the Board of Education will not provide additional funds for cannery operations from the school system’s general fund should the cannery account become depleted again.

Board of Education Chair Tony Crunkleton made the motion.

He explained his rationale for the motion at a Board of Education work session last Thursday.

Crunkleton said his motion will allow the cannery to be self-sufficient and see what happens.

“It will take the burden financially off of us (the Board),” said Crunkleton. “It will give you all the opportunity to use that CD and operate off of that, give you an opportunity to see if you can operate on your own.”

Along with the Certificate of Deposit, which school officials said totals about $50,000, the cannery will also be able to keep whatever revenue it generates through operations.

According to school officials, the school system just got access to the CD.

Crunkleton said this motion will leave it completely up to the Agriculture Department to run the cannery.

“It is going up to you all to see if you can make it or break it,” said Crunkleton.

The cannery and its operations has been a source of debate and discussion in recent months.

School officials said that the cannery has been losing money for the school system, to the tune of $45,000 if no changes were made this year.

Also on Tuesday, the Board of Education also unanimously approved a pricing structure for the cannery put forward by the Agriculture Department.