BAY MINETTE — Residents attending a meeting regarding the March 23 1-cent tax referendum Tuesday evening said trust was the number-one factor for those who are against the measure.

"Most of those I have talked to who are going to vote against (the referendum) said they don't trust you or you or you," retired teacher Emily Thompson said, as she pointed to school system representatives Human Resources Director Lester Smith, Board of Education President and District 7 Representative Tracy Roberts, and Vice President and District 2 Representative Bob Wills.

"We don't believe you when you say you won't lay more off. We don't believe you'll do what you are saying you will do," she said.

Dell Edwards, music teacher at Bay Minette Elementary School, said the trust is not only about what the Board will do with the money if the tax does pass, but what the Board will do if the tax does not pass.

"Many people don't really believe you're going to cut band. They don't believe you're going to do what you say you're going to do," she said.

She referred to a comment another attendee had said regarding a similar referendum in Mobile that passed overwhelmingly.

"They withheld the band from one of the parades. There was nothing but trucks. People watched a parade with no band and it made them wonder and made them think," Edwards said.

Smith assured those listening that the Board was not trying to use scare tactics.

"I don't believe in threatening something if you're not going to follow through on it," he said. "Are sports going to be cut out? No, but some coaches will have their salaries cut by 50 percent. If your salary is cut 50 percent, are you going to stay? Probably not. Some will, but the programs will be a shadow of what they were."

Additionally, he said, many coaches will be let go.

"We will let go of all non-tenured teachers, a lot of the non-tenured are coaches," he said.

Jennifer Smith, teacher at Bay Minette Elementary School, said she is a product of the school system, having graduated from Foley High School.

She said she played three sports and attended college on an athletic scholarship, something she said could be in danger if sports are cut.

"If they cut out athletics there won't be any scholarships for football, baseball or other sports. They're not going to to give a scholarship based on home video," she said.

She said the same could be said of extra-curricular activities or fine arts classes.

"They're not going to hire a graphic artist based on a sketch pad," she said.

However, Thompson and parent Erin Robertson said they believe coaches are not paid according to what they do.

"Coaches do not have classrooms to teach. The parents have to take care of (funding) athletics. The coaches are getting paid to go out there in the afternoon and coach," Robertson said.

Thompson said coaches are paid more than that. "Y'all are paying coaches a stipend for the after-school practices and games and they are getting paid a salary to sit behind a desk with no classes," she said.

The two expressed concern that athletics could take precedence over academics.

"Who and how is it going to be decided where this money is going to be used? How do we know it is going to be used for teachers and not stadiums," Robertson said. "I want some accountability."

Lester Smith said he could assure residents the money would not be used for capital improvements.

"Not one dime will be used for classrooms, buildings or any kind of structure," he said.

Wills agreed. "I can assure you these funds are for teachers and education. Keep in mind when these facilities (new schools) were thought of, it was before all this came about," he said.

He said much of the money will go to rebuild the one-month reserve required by the state.

"In 2008 we had $22 million in the reserve fund. That's gone now. Capital and athletics funds are earmarked, so they cannot be used for that," he said. "If we stump our toe, (the state) will give us a swift kick and take over."

Robertson asked about the growing class-sizes and the impending teacher layoffs and possible school closings.

She asked about Stapleton Elementary School in particular, one of the schools that has been targeted for closure and her child's school.

"Can you assure us our school will not shut down," she asked.

Though Smith and Roberts gave their opinions, neither would definitively answer Robertson's question.

"Based on the info we have now, the school will be safe," Smith said. "We don't want to close any schools."

He said the Board was focusing on schools with 300 or less students, but also those close enough to other schools, and schools not already overcrowded, that students could be transferred to.

"You're not saving any money if you close a school then have to spend money on portables," he said. "We are not guaranteeing anything, but I feel pretty certain that your school is safe."

Roberts said they could not say for sure what will happen, because next year's numbers are not in.

"We don't have a budget for the state yet; we won't have that until May. But we can give you our heart-felt opinion that the school will not close," she said.

She said if revenues are not enough to keep the school open, parents would be given plenty of warning.

"I don't believe this Board would close a school a couple of months before school starts. There would probably be a year's notice," she said. Robertson said she was satisfied with that answer.

Smith told those gathered that if anyone had questions or concerns they could contact him or Director of Communications Terry Wilhite at lsmith@bcbe.org or twilhite@bcbe.org.