Starting next summer, Natchez-Adams County residents will not have to pay an extra out-of-district fee for summer school if they do not attend the Natchez-Adams School District.

Over the years, the policy got interpreted incorrectly, said Don Marion, a member of the Natchez-Adams School Board.

&uot;The out-of-district (fee) was supposed to apply to people outside the county,&uot; Marion said.

The school board voted Thursday to change the policy after an executive session during its regular board meeting.

But students who live outside Adams County must still pay the extra fee of about $25.

&uot;The only reason you’re charging more for out of district is because they’re not supporting the school system,&uot; Marion said.

Also on Thursday, the board voted 3 to 1 to allow contractor Kenneth Jones to complete work on a canopy and sidewalk at Natchez High School.

The board had ceased work on the project until it investigated whether the handling of the project had violated state bid laws.

&uot;He has been paid for the work he’s done,&uot; said Kenneth Taylor, school board president. &uot;Now he’s going to complete the project.&uot;

The canopy connects the main campus of Natchez High School with the district’s multipurpose building.

In other business Thursday the board:

4Voted to name Allison Lack as the new principal at McLaurin Elementary School. She will replace interim principal Linda McMurtry, who served as interim principal since the school board transferred former principal Dr. Charlotte Franklin to the position of reading specialist this summer.

4Voted to pay an extra $1,100 to about 17 employees for overtime. The employees had agreed to settle the matter without joining a statewide wage and hour lawsuit. The U.S. Department of Labor had given the district incorrect information on how to calculate the needed overtime, Taylor said.