MEDICAL POT BAN LIKELY AT BELGRADE SCHOOLS

In light of heightened medical marijuana usage, the Belgrade School
Board is working on a policy that likely will ban the drug from school
property, trustees said Monday.

The district already has a strict "zero tolerance" policy for
prescription drugs that students to check in all prescriptions with
the school secretaries, Trustee Peggy Lucas said. The policy applies
even to over-the-counter medication and restricts students from having
prescription drugs in their cars.

The board has not decided the issue, but trustees are leaning toward
banning medical marijuana entirely, board member Peter Morgan said.

"If you are in that much pain and in that circumstance, you shouldn't
be in school," he said.

As of June 30, 45 people under age 18 are on the medical marijuana
registry, according to state records. The number has doubled since
March, when the state had 22 minors as registered users.

Lucas said the district should be "proactive instead of reactive"
given that the issue has been in the spotlight in recent months.

"Since the (federal) government says the it is a controlled substance,
we should not allow it in our schools," she said.

The issue will be decided at a Friday morning meeting, when board
members and trustees plan to go over revisions to the student
handbook, chairman Lance Voegele said.

In other business Monday:

- - Trustees tabled action on the school budget until District Clerk Jay
Bates nails down the debt service numbers for the district. Those
numbers are currently being examined by the Gallatin County School
Superintendents of Schools. The budget will be up for a vote during
Friday's meeting.

Bates said the budget is solid for this year, but he has concerns over
next year's numbers largely because the state Legislature may reduce
funds by 2 percent.

As it stands, the district is looking at a combined (elementary and
high school) budget of $18.42 million, according to district records.
Broken down, the elementary district budget is $12.42 million. The
high school district budget is $5.99 million.

Direct local taxes contribute $5.86 million to the overall total,
while indirect taxes -- funding from the state -- totals $12.53
million, according to district records.

- - Trustees approved milk and bread contracts for the district's meal
programs for the upcoming school year. Darigold was the winning bidder
for milk; Wheat Montana was the bread winner.