CCBOE Regular Session Meeting, July 9 2024
Invocation Harvest Pointe Fellowship Senior Pastor Chris Norris
Chairman Dekle not present for “personal reasons/issues.”
Special Recognitions:
GHS Girls 5A Golf Team State Championship, 2nd Place
LHS Boys 6A Golf Team State Champions
Georgia Law Enforcement State Certification for CCSD. Certified through the State of Georgia from April 2024 through March 31, 2027.
Consent Items, 4 approve 0 no votes
Meeting Minutes from 6/11/2024
May financials
Budget transfer
Employee travel
Program/Camp/Employee participation request
lease/use of facilities
Tax Digest Millage Rate and Public Input
Tentative lowering of millage rate from 17.2 to 17.1. Final approval vote on 7/23 at 6pm
7.51% increase in property tax, however if your property does not have an increase in market value, then your property tax may not increase.
District doesn’t control the valuations of property
5 year tax digest
Growing county will show an increase in tax base/revenues every year, but there will be increases in costs as well as student numbers increase.
Columbia County is the 9th lowest in the State on spending per student
M&O Bond Millage chart
2013-2015 highest millage rate was 18.59
This was the first year that the number of exemptions exceeded growth. Over 70 exemption was the highest number of exemptions.
Setting the millage rate at 17.1 still increases revenue by $4.7 million.
Building program is continuing to have increased costs
Keep in mind inflation is still increasing budgetary costs
Employer contribution to the state health insurance is $4.5 million
ESSER funding is ending which removes $5 million from the budget
TRS Rate of 19.98% changed to 20.78% for FY25, increasing cost of $1.5million
No public input/comments
Board Policies
Board Policies G, Personnel - 4 approve, 0 disapprove
Board Policies J, K and L. No big changes, mostly condensing wording. Some information needs to be moved to the website. There is a new requirement for schools to have an emergency action plan which includes a cardiac emergency team. All policy changes are available for comment. Final vote on approval will be on 7/23.
Building Program
Project updates
Westmont Elementary - workers are working 7 days per week. Still needs some cabinetry and ceiling tiles in places.
N Columbia- slabs poured, still installing plumbing/electrical under kitchen
Greenbrier HS - ERU equipment received and should be installed by the end of July
Lakeside High School - Student parking lot should be done by early September. Weather related delays. Teachers will have parking closer to school though. Principal is working on modified pick up/drop off plans due to construction
Bid Results
PC Solutions, Nutanix Virtual Server $170,741,85 approve 4, disapprove 0
S Columbia Demolition, cheapest bid from Tristar America $289,000, approve 4, disapprove 0
Evans HS Renovation Plan (originally approved for renovation in 12/2022). Dr. Flynt showed a document; approve 4, disapprove 0
Dates & Announcements
Free & Reduced Lunch applications available
Back to School Magazine next week, digital copy on website
Back to School Leadership Conference 7/22-7/23
7/23 Job Fair 4-6:30pm non-certified
7/23 Tax Digest Millage Rate Hearing and Public Input, 7/23
7/25 New Teacher Induction Kickoff
7/25 Rising 6th and 9th Grade Camps
7/29 10AM, AAA back to school school drive carefully awareness
7/29-8/2 Teacher Pre-Planning
8/2 Back to School Employee Kickoff
Open House dates
High School, 7/30 3-5pm
Middle School 7/30 5-7pm
Elementary School 8/1 5-7pm
8/3 English Insurance and Financial Services Stuff the Bus School Supply Drive
8/5 First Day of School
9/5 Progress Reports
9/5 CC Chamber of Commerce State of the Community Address
9/13 Early Dismissal/ Parent Conferences
Public Participation - no comments
Executive Session
Board Comments:
Karen Baker asked about the safety plans for students who walk to/from school at the different high schools during the renovations. She was concerned that the construction may make it unsafe, however Dr. Flynt stated that they were organizing and planning for that so that students can walk to and from campus safely.