Plumley Asks Pocahontas BOE For Golf Stipend

Marlinton, WV – Thomas Plumley says that without some sort of compensation, finding a coach for the Pocahontas County HS golf team will become increasingly difficult, if not impossible. He’s hoping the Pocahontas County Board of Education will agree to provide a stipend for the coaching position. Plumley and other supporters made their case to the Board Monday night.

Plumley says the program has been running for a number of years under the voluntary guidance of Jimmy Cutlip and Johnny Totten. The coed golf team has done very well, competing in both regional and state tournaments. He says the golf coaches have also provided all the transportation for the team.

But there is a big difference between Pocahontas and surrounding counties when it comes to paying a coach. While Pocahontas golf coaches receive no compensation, coaches in the surrounding counties receive anywhere from $1200 to $1500 per season. Plumley explains why he believes a Pocahontas golf coach should also be paid.

“These guys furnish their own vehicles, pay their own gasoline – all the time they put in” says Plumley. “And there’s a lot of time; right now there are 13 [golf] meets scheduled and when you go to a meet you’re talking about putting in a good 7-8 hours at these meets not counting your travel time.”

“I certainly think they’re very well deserving of some kind of supplemental pay to offset their costs.”

An avid golfer himself, Board President Kenny Vance says certain stipulations would apply if the board agrees to fund the coaching position.

“From my standpoint, it’s a good sport – it’s the only one I can play anymore” says Vance. “If we agree to pay for the coach, then the transportation has to go through the athletic department at the high school.”

Vance says they would also have to post the coaching position. He asked that it be added to the agenda for the next board meeting. In the meantime, Plumley says he and Cutlip are willing to continue as volunteer coaches.

In other business, Terrence Beam, Director of Federal programs for the county, says he contacted the four surrounding counties of Webster, Braxton, Greenbrier and Nicholas for information on their early entrance policy for kindergarteners. Webster has no policy and there was no response from Braxton. But Beam says he did hear from the other two counties.

“What they do is that they hire a school psychologist to give a test to students that are born between September 1 and October 1” says Beam. “They advertise in the newspapers starting on June 1st, and let parents know that if they’re interested in having their children tested to test in early for kindergarten, they can do so.”

“Now they do not do it if it puts their numbers over the [state mandated] limit to where they have to hire another teacher.”

Beam says he hopes to have a Pocahontas County policy ready for board consideration by next spring. In the meantime, county schools will handle early entrance requests on an individual basis.

The Board of Education also approved the following contracts Monday night:

Barnett Builders Construction Group to remove a 10,000 gal diesel tank at the bus garage. Board member Jan McNeel recused herself from this agenda item as she has a relative that works for the company.

Leslie Goodall to provide occupational therapy services for county students with an Individualized Education Program

Joyce Brown and James J. Woodward for psychological and other evaluation services

Pocahontas County Seniors Citizens, Inc for use of the old band room at Hillsboro Elementary School

Katherine Snyder for teacher training at Marlinton Elementary School

An agreement with North Central WV Community Action Associates for the Head Start program

The board also approved three requests for out of county students to attend Pocahontas County schools.