With final state budget approval providing better insight onfunding, the Lincoln County School Board Monday lifted a hiringfreeze and approved several construction projects in thedistrict.

“The state has spoken and we feel like we can proceed with ourbuilding program,” Superintendent of Education Perry Miller toldschool board members during the regular meeting.

The board approved bids on installing new bleachers in theEnterprise Attendance Center gymnasium, as well as building a newlibrary and re-roofing the administration building at West LincolnAttendance Center.

In a Loyd Star water treatment plant project, board memberselected not to accept bids until they looked further into aproposal made last night. Wayne Greer of Greer Environmental talkedwith the board about how his company could remodel the plant ratherthan build a new plant.

“We believe we can take this waste water treatment plant outhere and make it more efficient… for considerably less than itwould cost to rebuild,” he said. “We think we can save you somemoney.”

Board members advised Greer to come up with a plan and talk itover with the district’s engineer and architect, Garland Wright,who will make his recommendation at the next regularly scheduledboard meeting.

Also in financial matters, the board is looking to fill sevenopen teaching positions in the district. Earlier this month, boardmembers opted to leave the positions open until they knew what thedistrict’s financial situation would be for next year.

“We have lifted the (hiring) freeze and we will in the next fewweeks be filling vacant positions,” said Miller.

The district will have four less teaching positions next yearthan it has had in the past. Each school cut one teaching positionin an effort to help the district’s budget.

However, no teachers lost their jobs; they were just given lessresponsibility. The four positions were for driver’s educationteachers during the school year.

Board members decided to offer driver’s education only duringthe summer months as a summer course with a $150 fee charged toeach student.

“It’s in line with what everyone else is doing. Most schoolshave been teaching driver’s ed in the summer for some time now,”said Miller.

The course fee will cover the cost of the teacher’s pay, gas forthe vehicle, insurance and the vehicle’s lease, Miller said.

Another position dropped from next year was the teacherassistant job in the elementary computer lab at each of the fourcounty schools.

School board members examined figures about the student-teacherratio, and believed the district will run more efficiently nextyear.

They recessed the meeting until 5:30 p.m., Tuesday when theywill review and consider the bids received on re-opening theMallalieu Oil Field.