Concern expressed over school attendance lines

Director of Transportation Richard Riddle submitted a report to board members concerning bus routes and what it would take to get Fourth District to 200 students. Riddle explained that Fourth District bus routes currently run in the southern and southeastern area of the county. The buses run from the county borders along Highway 341, cut back across to Highway 15 and then go down Red Oak Road. Under the new plan submitted by Riddle, the buses would need to go all the way over to Zoar Road to pick up the number of students needed to get the school up to 200 students. Riddle also recommended that the board would need to decide to enforce district lines in order to make this plan work.

This raised a number of questions by some parents that stated they did not want to see students transported all the way from Zoar Road to Fourth District. Parents also expressed concern about the enforcement of the district lines saying that many students are driven to the school of their choice.

District 4 Board Member Randy Crawford stated that the board has got to figure out ways to get all schools better funded. Crawford stated that he was not in favor of enforcing district lines on parents who drive their children to school. He cited that if a parent drives a student to a certain school, they should be able to do that. He also added that he would not be in favor of busing children to Fourth District from an extended distance adding this was an argument made by people in the Fourth District area, as they did not want their children to have to ride buses for an extended period of time from the southern-most parts of the county to town schools. Crawford explained that he had requested the information so that board members could have information to review and said that if a decision was to be made, it would not be a quick decision.

Maintenance and Operations Director Winton Herrin also presented information to the board concerning capital outlay funding if students are moved from one school to another. It was noted that even if the students are moved from other schools/areas to Fourth District, there would not be the potential to earn capital outlay funding for Fourth District as the school buildings are no longer on state rolls. In addition it was also explained that while each students earns funding for Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) no matter what school they attend, funding for capital outlay would be reduced at a school that earns capital outlay if a student is transferred to a school that does not earn capital outlay funding such as Fourth District. Another consideration that was discussed is that a school under 200 enrollment earns only partial funding for positions such as principal, librarian, physical education, etc.

District 1 Board Member Randy Sellers told the audience that he did not think the board has talked about enforcing district lines and that much would need to be considered before any type of decision were made.

Another question that was raised was whether or not it is true that when the final building at Altamaha is built, the school would then be earning full capital outlay. In an email from Georgia Department of Education facilities representative Dr. Mickey Shubert he states,” Any buildings constructed at Altamaha since it was phased-out in the early 1990’s are eligible to earn entitlement under DOE rules.”

Other business

The board voted to approve the low bid for the Wetland Mitigation Ditch adjacent to the Appling County High School baseball/softball fields. The low bid was submitted by J. Hiers Company at a cost of $34,916.45.

The board received information concerning the 2007 Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (ESPLOST) from Herrin. It was reported that the original anticipated revenue for ESPLOST was $17,000,000.00 with a total tax collection cap of $20,000,000.00. Herrin stated that the revised total collection estimate puts the tax at collecting $16,652,098.84. The total original anticipated cost of projects were roads and infrastructure (ACHS & ACES) $1.6 million, athletics and Title IX $1.5 million, Pre-K facility $3.5 million, Appling Middle School $2.2 million, Appling Elementary Complex $3.8 million, Fourth District $1.5 million, transportation/maintenance facility $500,000.00 and Altamaha wing/media center $2.4 million. Herrin noted that projects have changed, had modifications or additions (examples are the addition of the Elementary track, band practice lights, covering of ditch, addition of tennis courts, purchase of textbooks and buses etc.), which were approved by then superintendent and or board or by incorporating parts of one project into another for cost savings. The total amount of expenditures and obligated contracts in place through August 31 equates to $12,927,590.02. If the total estimated amount of revenue is correct, the board would have a balance remaining in the ESPLOST account in the amount of $3,724,508.82. There are three projects mentioned above that have not been started including Fourth District at $1.5 million, Altamaha at $2.4 million and the transportation/maintenance facility. The total estimated cost of these three projects is $4,400,000.00. Currently it appears that the board will not have enough ESPLOST funds to complete all of the remaining projects.

The board also received information on items that will be voted on at the next meeting to be held on October 17. Among the items to be considered at that meeting will be field trip requests, a recommendation to hire a bus driver, a medical leave request, a policy consideration, and fundraiser requests.