The Board held its regular Board meeting a little early this month along with having it on a Sunday too. This meeting started at 1:00 p.m. All Board members were present.
Board attorney Jeff Jernigan stated to the Board that he did send requested letter out to Delta Tech which had something to do with some advertising they were doing that implied that they as “Delta Tech” licensed you to be a Cosmetologist… That is the best that I could read between the lines.. Delta Tech pulled the ads… Jeff also mentioned his previous recommended changes for the current Rules and Regulations governing Post-Secondary Schools.. Darlene Smith made a motion to leave the current Rules and Regulations governing Post-Secondary schools as is. Motion was seconded by Dorothy Ennis. Motion carried…. This was the right thing to do as the Department of Education accepted the current Rules and Regulations and doing any changes now would require the Department of Ed to review and approve the changes…. Lets get all the schools off hold with the Department of Ed and then maybe in mid 2017 submit the minor changes…
Today, the Board had an individual that requested permission to speak with the Board. Her name is Kay Smith… This was a VERY interesting discussion!!!!! Many years ago, Mrs. Smith received her Cosmetology Certificate (I’m not sure what she received I am assuming a Certificate, that part was really confusing or maybe it was Sunday afternoon and I wasn’t paying close attention) in the United Kingdom. She currently lives in Mississippi and wants reciprocity for her UK licenses to MS.. Mrs. Smith states that there is no actual agency that keeps up with attendance records and that the school she attended was destroyed in a fire. Mrs. Smith further states that she did attend school one day a week “a theory class” for a year and that she apprenticed “practical hours” for 3 years. Mrs. Smith also presented to the Board a few certificates of different classes she had taken for color or cutting classes. Mrs. Smith also explained to the Board that she had a disabled husband that she supports and that she really needed these licenses so that she could make a better income to support her and her husband. I will say that Mrs. Smith was very professional and presented her self in such a manner. The Board took their time discussing Mrs. Smith’s situation with her and asked her a lot of questions.. The Board even told Mrs. Smith that they felt that she was more than qualified to hold a Cosmetology license but according the Rules and Regulations the Board MUST have some type of verifiable proof of her hours attended to obtain her Cosmetology training. The Board also told Mrs. Smith that if she could get a letter from the school owner, instructor, class mate, etc… That would give the Board some solid documentation to grant her request for reciprocity… I promise it’s fixing to get better!!! During the course of this conversation Mrs. Smith indicated that she still owns a salon in the UK and that her salon also works with individuals seeking apprenticeship training…. I’m thinking to myself why are you telling the Board all this…. the Board is trying to help you, what more do you want… The Board to write the letter too!!!! But no Mrs. Smith was not happy hearing that, she thought that the Board should approve her reciprocity based upon a conversion with no physical evidence of her every attending a school… And this story gets even better… Just when I thought this was a done deal, Mrs. Smith ask what about my Alabama Licenses can I reciprocity them!!!!!! Executive Director David Derrick responded that the state of Mississippi would still need the verification of the school you obtained your Cosmetology Training at!!!!!
Anyone out there that has an “EX” that is not paying his or her child support and they happen to have a set of Cosmetology Licenses… The Department of Human Services will now have their licenses suspended for past due child support!!!! I learn something new every day…
The Board and it’s employees “INSPECTORS” just learned that the state cut their mileage reimbursement from 57.5 cents to 54 cents per mile that went into effect 1/1/2017… So a lot of the agency employees had to give some money back….
Dorothy Ennis reported to the Board that once again the Hair Show put on by J.C. Beauty Supply in Hattiesburg did not follow the schedule that was presented to the Board. Mrs. Ennis stated that it was some what unorganized and very hard to keep up with the individuals… I told the Board that the Barber Board does not get asked to monitor this show and they advertise themselves as a supplier of Barber Products… The Board needs to set up some clear policies and procedures for determining what shows would qualify to be monitored by the Board as well as what actions will be taken should a show provider not deliver what was approved by this Board…..
“JC Beauty Supply is a business providing services in the field of Barbers. JC Beauty Supply is located in Laurel, MS on 115 Central Avenue” from the online yellow page directory!!!!
I’m sorry I did not write down what time the meeting adjourned… All I know is that it was Sunday and I did not really want to be meeting at the Board office.. It was before dark probably around 5ish….