MEXICO – Members of the Shared Use Kitchen Committee and the personnel and program committees of the Region 9 board will discuss the possibility of setting up a commercial-quality kitchen at the school.

The meeting is scheduled for 3 p.m. June 22 at the River Road school.

The kitchen could be used to teach culinary arts as well as provide a space for small producers.

Region 9 School of Applied Technology Director Brenda Gammon said the 12-page proposed plan was presented to the entire board at Wednesday’s regular board meeting.

The Shared Use Kitchen Committee operates under the organizational umbrella of the River Valley Agricultural Commission and is part of the River Valley Economic Development Plan.

Gammon said the vocational school’s Personal Committee and Program Committee will likely make a recommendation for action at the board meeting July 21.

When Region 9 underwent its major renovation and expansion project last year, the top choice for a new vocational program was culinary arts. However, fiscal constraints prevented such a program from being established.

In other matters at Wednesday’s board meeting, Gammon said:

• Nearly 200 students from the vocational school’s sending districts have signed up for programs in the fall. A few openings are still available.

• Action on adoption of the cooperative agreement between Region 9 and its sending schools was delayed until the Regional School Unit 10 and SAD 44 boards meet to approve it. At issue is a change in the number of representatives from SAD 43 and SAD 21 because of the merger into RSU 10, also known as the Western Foothills School District.

• Action on contracting with RSU 10 for delivery of lunches to Region 9 students was also tabled until the RSU board meets and sets lunch prices.