CCBOE 06.16.2026 Regular Meeting Notes

Call To Order: 5:30 pm

Invocation: Christ Church Presbyterian, Associate Pastor Ryan Bigham

Pledge of Allegiance: Greenbrier High School NJROTC

Approval of Agenda: Yay 5, No 0

Special Recognitions

1. Advanced Placement Honor Schools

   1. Evans High School: AP Humanities Achievement School, AP Distinction School, AP STEM School, AP STEM Achievement School

   2. Greenbrier High School: AP Humanities School, AP Distinction School, AP STEM Achievement School

   3. Grovetown High School: AP Access & Support School, AP Humanities School, AP Humanities Achievement School, AP STEM School, AP STEM Achievement School

   4. Harlem High School: AP Distinction School

   5. Lakeside High School: AP Humanities School, AP Humanities Achievement School, AP Distinction School, AP STEM School, AP STEM Achievement School

2. Columbia County Foundation For Children

   1. Motivating Mentor Award: LTC Samson Sider, Harlem High School

3. Boys and Girls Track and Field State Championship

   1. Evans High School: Individual State Championship Competition

      1. Liliana Beemer: 2nd Place Girls 1600m Run

      2. Jeremy Howard: 1st Place Boys Long Jump

   2. Girls Track & Field State Championship

      1. Greenbrier High School

         1. Bryannah Remice: 3rd Place Girls 200m Dash

         2. 4x100m & 4x200m Relay Team State Runners-Up

            1. Amarie Burns, Neiyssaah Marius, Taylor McKoy, Bryannah Remice

   3. Boys Track & Field State Championship

      1. Grovetown High School

         1. Bryan Story: 3rd Place in 800m

   4. Boys and Girls Track & Field State Championship

      1. Lakeside High School

         1. Zion Bullard: 3rd Place Girls 200m Dash

         2. Valynsia Calhoun: State Champion Long Jump, 2026 5A Girls Track & Field High Point Total Champion, Runner Up in 300m hurdles, 3rd Place in 100m Hurdles

         3. Aysia Hawkins: 3rd Place in Girls Shot Put

         4. Andrew Phillips: 3rd Place in Boys Vault

         5. 3rd Place - 4x400m Girls Relay

            1. Zion Bullard, Valynsia Calhoun, Lealyn Dale, Kaylee Jones

         6. 3rd Place Overall in Girls Team Points:

            1. Eliana Benevides, Zion Bullard, Valynsia Calhoun, Isabella Cardona-Mendez, Lealyn Dale, Adele Gross, Aysis Hawkins, Hannah James, Kaylee Jones, Hailey McDonald, Kimberly Mullins, Ella Williams, Grace Williams

4. National Beta Club

   1. State Service Leaderboard Award: Harlem High School, Lisa Wilson, Beta Advisor

   2. School of Merit: Greenbrier Middle School

Special Recommendations

1. Grovetown High School Assistant Principal: Jesse “Russ” Winter. Approve: Yay 5, No 0

Board Comments: All board members expresses gratitude to pastors, students, families, coaches, principals and the foundation. Commended AP achievements, athletics, Beta Club service, and strong public participation turnout. Praise for Mr. Winter’s credentials and return to Columbia County

Approval of Consent Items

1. Minutes of May 12, 2026, Regular Session Meeting and Minutes of May 26, 2026, Special Called Meeting

2. April Financials

3. Budget Amendment and Transfer

4. Fundraisers

5. Employee Travel

6. Program/Camp/Employee Participation Requests

7. Lease/Use of Facilities

April Financials were pulled from consent items. Approval for items 1, 3, 4-7: Yay 5, No 0

April Financials discussion: Approval: Yay 5, No 0

• Increase of $6 million in state sources budget clarified as one-time state revenue for employee supplement, covered by a corresponding revenue and expenditure amendment.

• Building program financials (SPLOST 2017-2022): $500,000 increase in furniture budget was explained as a move of unallocated funds to align with previously approved furniture bid

Approval of FY2027 Budget Approve: Yay 3 (Baker, Teasley, Dekle), No 2 (Kent & Allen) (Passed with the $20 million transfer to General Fund)

• Casado (CFO): Previous version included $10.6 million placeholder for a 3% COLA and $20 million transfer to building program. Since then, additional $2.785 million in state revenue received

• Changes to current budget:

  • Increase employee COLA from 3% to 5% (additional $5.5 million cost)

  • Increase paid lunch prices to $3.75 instead of proposed $4.00 ($200,000 revenue reduction)

  • After adjustment, projected ending FY27 general fund balance is $83.89 million

• Kent made a motion to amend the budget to reduce the general fund transfer to the building fund from $20 million to $10 million. Yay 1 (Kent), No 4

  • Kent argued this represented continued use of property-tax-supported General Fund dollars for construction projects that voters expected SPLOST to cover. Felt this was a compromise.

    • Emphasized repeatedly that he supported the building program and the planned high school projects, arguing that his proposal was intended to slow the use of General Fund dollars for construction rather than halt or cancel renovations.

  • Allen’s arguments:

    • Stated that the Maintenance & Operations budget increased from approximately $21.8 million five years ago to $39.8 million currently and said she had not received requested explanations for the increase.

    • Questioned why the district could not provide projected expenditures for Greenbrier and Harlem projects over the next three fiscal years.

  • Casado/Teasley: school districts routinely use General Fund dollars for capital maintenance and the district would still retain approximately $83.89 million (about 20% of expenditures) in reserves after the transfer.

• Allen made a motion to reduce the transfer to $900,000, allowing for project-by-project approval. Yay 2 (Kent & Allen), No 3 (Baker, Teasley, Dekle)

  (Transcripted)

  Katie Allen: My discussion point on what is the need to make that transfer in approving this budget tonight versus doing it project by project. What is the argument that we must do it all in one lump sum tonight versus project by project throughout the fiscal year?”

  Chairman Dekle: One thing is we don’t have to listen to you as much and give (didn’t catch the end.)

  Chairman Dekle: I apologize. I apologize.

Board Policies

1. Board Policy BCBI, Public Participation in Board Meetings Approve: Yay 5, No 0

2. Board Policy KG, Use of School Facilities:

   1. Proposed updates

      1. Removing fee descriptions

      2. removing “extended use” section

      3. Clarifying district priority for facilities

      4. Will be voted on in July after feedback period.

Code of Conduct Update. Approval: Yay 4, No 1 (Allen)

1. Updates: New format, special sections for key topics (bullying, attendance), and new state-required additions. New state code restricting electronic device use extended to high schools. (District extended to high schools last year)

2. Attendance Policy (suggested from juvenile court)

   1. 10th unexcused absence: certified letter

   2. 3rd unexcused absence: intervention plan

Discussion: Parent note makes absences excused (up to 5 per semester). Notifications for unexcused absences are automated. Allen Suggested to change notification threshold from 3rd to 5th unexcused absence. Noted that this was at the request of the juvenile court.

Building Program Bid Result

1. CMAR (Construction Management at Risk) Selection for Greenbrier Renovation. Approve: Yay 4, No: 0, Abstain: 1 (Allen)

   1. RFP Process: An RFP for Greenbrier renovation was issued with 5 firms interviewed. Evaluation committee recommended Harold Daniel Construction, which received highest rating/scores and lowest fees.

      1. Discussion on selection/conflict of interest

         1. Committee uses a rubric scoring model.

         2. Concern raised about potential conflict of interest as the recommended firm scheduled a dinner with the board when they were in Savannah.

            1. Kent sent an email, raised a number of questions, and the dinner was cancelled

   2. Project scope and budget: Estimated GMP for project is $80.4 million, with a total board set-aside of $96 million. Goal is to receive bids by September/October.

Superintendent Reports

• Student Registration for 26-27 year open now

• Summer School: 6/25/2026 commencement

Public Participation:

• Priscilla Bence

• Trinity Bennett

• Karin Parham

• Janet Duggan

• Renee Ginn

• Stephanie Tee

• Lorraine Thomas

After Executive Session

• Affidavit that only legally allowed topics discussed during closed executive session: Yay 4, Abstain: 1 (Allen - not present for entire meeting)

• Personnel Sheet. Approve: Yay 5, No 0

• Discipline Appeal. Approve: Yay 4, No 1 (Katie Allen)

• Superintendent’s Contract. Approve: Yay 3 (Dekle, Baker, Teasley), Opposed 1 (Kent), Abstain 1 (Allen, she said due to concerns about the process)

Adjourn: 8:45pm