The Lincoln County School District board room was crowded Monday afternoon as lease holders and hopeful lease holders of 16th section land waited for the opening of bids.

LCSD leases out sections of 16th section land for hunting and fishing purposes each year. Although bids are sealed, current lease holders have the option to match the highest bid and retain their lease once the bids are opened. Stan King and Bobby Hatchett, of Sportman’s Paradise, took advantage of this policy.

King matched the highest bid of $1,680 for his current lease of 168 acres off of Zetus Road. Hatchett matched the highest bid of $4,134.02 for his current lease of 506 acres off of Highway 550. Other leases were awarded to the only bidders: Dean Jordan for 300 acres on Mt. Olive at $3,009, Patrick Rudisill for 613 acres on Highway 550 at $6,130, Nicholas Guarneri for 486 acres on Old Highway 51 at $6,603 and Dickey Martin for 164 acres on Heucks Retreat Road at $1,312.

The board also approved for Stan Long, manager of 16th section land, to advertise for hunting and fishing lease bids for 48 acres.

In other board business:

• The board approved an extended contract request for a faculty member. The faculty member will work 240 days rather than the 187 days a teacher normally works. Cheryl Shelby, LCSD business manager, said the extension would include between a $15,000 and $17,000 increase in pay. She requested that the board’s approval be contingent upon providing a work schedule to the central office. The board agreed.

• The board approved the district calendar for 2015-2016. The calendar will be similar to this year except that spring break has moved back a week. Next year it will be held March 14 through 18.

• The board approved a request from the Senior Beta Club for permission to take an overnight trip to Biloxi.

• The board approved a request for Enterprise to enter into a school portrait contract with Bruckner’s School Photography for 2015-2016.

• The board approved a request for Loyd Star to enter into a yearbook agreement with Josten’s for the 2015-2016 school year.

• Letha Presley, assistant superintendent, said that Superintendent Terry Brister is still recovering from his recent surgery, but he should return soon.