Leaseholders of 16th section land belonging to Newton Municipal School District will have an additional tool to help with coronavirus-related job loss or finance issues after the Board of Trustees adopted Thursday a resolution to suspend payments.
Board attorney Brian Mayo said Mississippi School Board Association and the Secretary of State’s office were encouraging school districts to adopt the resolution to help our leaseholders during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“It’s a deferment,” he said. “It eliminates late fees and delinquency fees. It’s just a way to help them out.”
Mayo said the resolution would allow those leasing 16th section lands belonging to Newton schools to cancel monthly payments if needed. The deferment would not forgive the debt and leaseholders would still be required to pay property taxes and other fees associated with the lease; however, payments would not be collected while the deferment was in place.
“They can defer up to the end of the 2020 calendar year,” he said.
To qualify for the deferment, leaseholders would need to contact the district in writing, Mayo said.
In other business, the Board of Trustees accepted a $16,478 through MSBA to replace a school bus. Superintendent Glenda Nickson said the grant program allows districts to surrender an old school bus and put the grand funds toward a new bus.
Nickson said the district submitted grant applications for two busses, but only one grant was awarded. The bus earmarked for replacement has needed frequent maintenance, and the cost of repairs exceeds the benefit to the district, she said.
The district is currently exploring financing options for the bus, Nickson said. Once quotes have been gathered, she said she would bring them before the Board of Trustees for approval. The district plans to use EEF funds to pay for the bus in addition to the grant, she said.
