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Hardin County Schools introduces online payment platform

Hardin County Schools is introducing an online payment platform to give parents convenient payment options.

The district partnered with SchoolCash Online to implement the new system.

“Parents can manage all school fees and items for their students in one location and have the convenience of a secure online payment platform, and the schools improve safety and reduce risk by minimizing cash and check payments at the schools,” said HCS Community Relations Specialist John Wright. 

The system will be available for student activity-related items such as field trips, fundraisers, club dues, and registration fees.

“When those things come due, when parents have signed up to participate in SchoolCash Online, they will get an email that the fee is due, and so they can go into the SchoolCash Online system and pay that fee,” Wright said.

Parents can learn more by visiting the Hardin County Schools website.

Meanwhile, HCS announced this week that District Maintenance Supervisor Jamey Hawkins is now the district’s Director of Buildings and Grounds.

“He’s a true leader, and will do an amazing job in this role,” Wright said. “He has a strong relationship with the current members of the Buildings and Grounds family, and he knows our facilities inside and out. Each schools’ staff knows him and the outstanding work he does.”

Prior to serving as maintenance supervisor, Hawkins worked as a district HVAC specialist.

Hardin County Fiscal Court discusses tax ordinances related to future development

The Hardin County Fiscal Court met for their second meeting of the month Tuesday.

The fiscal court voted to advance two ordinances from first to second reading, the first which updates the creation of an industrial taxing district and payment of a special ad valorem tax related to anticipated development spurred by industry such as BlueOval SK, and the second which updates the occupational tax within the industrial and commercial taxing district.

Judge-Executive Keith Taul said there is never a good time to increase taxes, but with the county responsible for providing services to residents it is a necessary investment.

“Honestly, I hate it,” Taul said. “I don’t want to do it, but it is, I believe, the responsible thing to do.”

Magistrate Chris Yates said the tax is unfortunate but necessary.

“When you call 911, you want the sheriff’s department to be out there ASAP,” Yates said. “When you call for an ambulance, you want them there yesterday, and at that time you wouldn’t put a price tag on your family, so this is the necessary thing to do to ensure that we have the resources available to you guys.”

Larry Hicks was the only magistrate to vote against the ordinances. Hicks said he was not comfortable putting an extra burden on taxpayers, and had concerns with the recently announced delay of the opening of BlueOval SK’s second plant.

“How many more times is BlueOval going to back up?” said Hicks. “It’s 5,000, then it was 2,500, and the latest I’ve heard maybe 1,000, so do we have to do this right now? I’m not against doing this if it’s needed, but I’m not sold on it’s needed right now.”

The ordinances, which can be viewed on the county’s website, will go up for a vote at the next fiscal court meeting.

In other meeting news, Hardin County Jailer Josh Lindblom reported that the Hardin County Detention Center took in 476 inmates during the month of October while 481 were released, and inmates worked more than 13,000 hours, resulting in more than $81,000 in savings for the county.

The Hardin County Fiscal Court will next meet December 12.