A motion to require school same gender personnel to share a hotel room when traveling ended in a tie vote and was defeated at a meeting of the Patrick County School Board on Thursday.

Walter Scott, of the Smith River District, said the school division “should go with the rest of the county” when traveling. Scott said sharing a room is policy in other county departments, including the sheriff’s office. “It’s not like we’re strangers.”

Schools Superintendent Bill Sroufe said there could be situations with extenuating circumstances, such as a teacher sharing a room with a principal. Other potential situations included sharing a room with someone with a breathing machine or a roommate who snores.

The division spent $85,000 on travel expenses last year.

Ronnie Terry, board chairman and of the Blue Ridge District, said he would not support the measure because he felt it would be counterproductive and result in some not attending conferences due to the additional financial burden.

Scott said sharing a room would be “an easy way to save a pretty good chunk of change,” before making a motion to require all school employees of the same gender to share a room when traveling, or split the cost of an additional room.

Scott and Brandon Simmons, vice chairman and of the Dan River District, voted in favor of the motion.

Terry and Annie Hylton, of the Peters Creek District, voted against it.

Michelle Day, of the Mayo River District, said she was undecided.

Sroufe was directed to poll teachers on the matter, and also to prepare additional information, such as estimated cost savings, for discussion at a later meeting.

Sroufe also presented the preliminary budget for Fiscal 2018-19. The more than $31 million total budget holds the line on adding staff, increases teacher pay, and includes an overall funding increase of $497,670, or 1.6 percent, over the current fiscal year.

The board also heard concerns during the public comment portion of the meeting.

Danny Wood said he questioned the board’s financial responsibility, declining student enrollment and an increase in the number of assistant superintendents.

He also distributed a handout that showed a 7.6 percent decrease in the population following a peak in 2000; a 24.8 percent decrease in the population of school aged children, and enrollment, particularly in Meadows of Dan Elementary School, where Wood said there was a “huge increase” between 2013 through 2016, and “then a huge change” in 2017.

Wood also expressed concerns about the division’s virtual learning program. “What’s the cost of this? Is it a money maker or not,” he asked, and added that Carroll Count y dropped the online learning program.

Nancy Carlson, a history teacher at the Patrick County High School, also addressed the board. She encouraged them to set a travel policy; create a new, methodical way to select participants to attend conferences and alternate those who attend conferences.

Carlson also inquired about the number of retreats/conferences scheduled to be held outside of the county over the summer, as well as the purpose of each and other particulars.

She also asked for an update on the school division’s website to show “how our tax dollars are being spent,” and proposed salary increases.

“While I was thrilled to read about Dr. Sroufe’s hopes for a 1.6 percent pay increase for employees next year,” Carlson said the hike would mean an additional $192 per year to a cafeteria worker making $12,000 per year and an extra $1,280 annually to a central office employee making $80,000 per year.

“Percent increases are always welcome and appreciated, but we also need to make sure our pay scale is fair within the school system,” she said.