After gaining control of some potentially valuable Smith Lake property earlier this year, the Cullman County Board of Education hopes to have an advisory committee in place next month to develop a plan to sell or develop the land.

Voters approved a measure in early November by a wide margin to give the school system control of 321 acres in Joppa, 122 acres in Chigger Ridge and 435 acres on Smith Lake. Officials believe the Smith Lake lot holds the most potential, as it includes 25,000 feet of shoreline that could be worth several million dollars.

County school officials plan to either develop or sell the property, then place 90 percent of any revenue from the land into a trust and use the interest as a new source of revenue for the system. Funds will be split between both local school systems, with the county receiving 83 percent and the city allocated 17 percent based on student population.

“We know the longer we hold onto this property, the more valuable it will be,” Superintendent Billy Coleman said. “We want to have all our ducks in a row.”

To ensure the current board’s plan remains in place, officials want to create a community committee to help oversee the funds.

“We’ve had a good response and we’re working on the committee now,” Coleman said. “We hope to have our first meeting in late January. We want to create checks and balances so future boards and superintendents won’t be tempted to dip into those funds. This is meant to be a trust that will last forever.”

The board is still working to generate a full list of committee members and hope to have a wide range or expertise by the time it is complete. Regardless, no company connected to a potential committee member will be allowed to develop or sale the property.

“We’ve had some great interest, but we want to give some integrity to the project,” Coleman said.

The board also:

Viewed a special presentation from the Harmony School singers.

Approved November 15, 2012 minutes.

Approved resignations:

— Roland Gay, Transportation Shop Foreman, Bus Shop (Retirement).

— Debra Yeager, Child Nutrition Program Worker, Hanceville.

— Belinda Gilbert, Custodian, Good Hope Middle.

— Dianne Reynolds, School Bus Driver, Holly Pond (Retirement).

Approved leaves of absence:

— Teresa Floyd, Special Education Teacher Aide, Holly Pond High (Student teaching).

— Kimberly E. Stewart, Teacher, Fairview Elementary (Maternity).

Approved voluntary transfers:

— Mark Alan Wells from Mechanic/Assistant Shop Foreman, Bus Shop; to Mechanic/Parts Clerk, Bus Shop.

Approved appointments:

— Shirley Sowell, accountant, part-time as needed, Central Office.

— Richard Black, accountant, part-time as needed, Central Office.

— Peggy Swann, custodian, Good Hope Middle.

Approved substitute bus drivers (pending ABI/FBI background clearance): Herschell William Basinger, Laura Ann Brown, Stanley Robert Cowley, Nina Venise England, Wesley Wayne Laney, Jimmy Ray Rodgers, Jimmy Wade Knight and Garry Dwight Knopp.

Approved substitutes:

— Grace Potter, Nurse (pending completion of paperwork)

— Sonja Roden, Nurse (pending completion of paperwork)

— April Lynn Smith, Nurse (pending completion of paperwork)

— Valetta Baker, Teacher (eff. November 26, 2012)

— Valetta Baker, Nurse (pending completion of State Board Exam)

— Angela Hughes, Teacher

Approved October bills, salaries and financial statements.

Approved contract/salary changes:

— Breann Allbright, add middle school volleyball coaching supplement, Holly Pond Middle.

Approved maintenance department projects:

— Hanceville High School Football Practice Field Fence, $3,799, Parris Fence Company.

Approved out-of-state field trip requests:

— Good Hope High School, January 18, 2013, to: Atlantic Station, Atlanta Georgia, to visit Bodies Exhibit & Titanic Exhibit.

— Parkside School, April 5, 2013, to Atlanta, Georgia (Aquarium, World of Coke & CNN), to tour facilities.

— Parkside School, May 3, 2013, to Six Flags, Atlanta, Georgia; for Math & Science Day.

— West Point High School, December 31, 2012 (Christmas/New Year Holiday); to Nashville, Tennessee for high school football team to attend the Music City Bowl.

Approved a request from Cold Springs High School for approval to pay Claborn Campbell $500 for serving as athletic director.

Approved a request from Vinemont Middle School for approval to pay Robert Gingrich $1,000 for helping with the math team. To be paid for local school funds.

Approved a request from Vinemont High School for approval to name Tanny Guthery the indoor track coach for 2012-2013.

Approved a request from West Point High School to provide an after school credit recovery program beginning January 15, 2013.

Trent Moore can be reached by e-mail at trentm@cullmantimes.com, or by telephone at 734-2131, ext. 220.