Madison board approves surplus auctions, returns historic plaque and personal items to families

The Madison County School Board on Nov. 17 approved surplus inventories and authorized auctions for items from Lee and Pinetta elementary schools while agreeing to return certain identified items to families.

Patrick White presented the inventory and asked the board’s permission to auction items. A board member asked that two spring “bouncy” cars, reportedly made and donated decades earlier by a local parent, be removed from the auction list and returned to the Hardy family. The board declared the two items surplus and approved allowing the Hardy family to collect them.

Board members also discussed a dedication plaque for Randall Buchanan that was attached to a school wall; the board voted to declare the plaque surplus and allow the Buchanan family to remove it so long as the plaque could be taken without substantial damage. The board asked for contact information to be provided to staff to coordinate pickup.

Superintendent staff said auctions will begin once paperwork is complete; Mr. White said Lee’s auction should start around Dec. 1 if schedules hold. Board members emphasized that principals and school staff had been contacted to verify whether items were still needed in classrooms before anything is sent to auction.

Next steps: staff will coordinate contact information for families, finalize auction listings and publish auction start dates for the two schools.