Roy’s Tires

story by Janice Daniel

The Carroll County Board of Education met on Monday, May 15th, 2023 for a work session. All board members were present.

Dr. Jessica Ainsworth, assistant superintendent of School Performance, reviewed the Partners Advancing Student Success (PASS) MOU, informing the board that it was the same as last year. Board agreed to put it on the Consent Agenda for a vote at Thursday’s meeting. Ainsworth also reviewed the Occupational and Physical Therapy contract qqith Southern Therapy, which has to be renewed every two years. Board agreed to also put this on Thursday’s Consent Agenda.

Terry Jones, assistant superintendent of Administrative and Support Services, reported that on the six-classroom Temple Middle School addition, the steel beams have been installed over the storm shelter portion. The work at Ithica Elementary is getting close to the Fire Marshall 80% inspection. Plumbing and electrical has been done for the three-classroom addition at Central Elementary, and footings are being poured for the addition to the cafeteria. The underground culvert pipe is ready to be placed for the additional three lanes of car rider traffic at Sand Hill Elementary. Jones also indicated that bids for the operation center opened the prior week, and will be brought to the Thursday night meeting. He said the closing on the Bankhead Highway property will be completed on May 19th, 2023.

Board Member Bart Cater asked what was being done about the traffic at Bowdon Middle School. He said cars are backed all the way out onto Highway 166, and he also asked why the City of Bowdon police officers were directing traffic there. Jones said the City Manager of Bowdon offered to send the officers there to help with the situation, and his department is looking at several school traffic problems throughout the county to try and find solutions.

Board Member Bernice Brooks said the Glanton-Hindsman school traffic congests the road from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. Jones said he is meeting with administration there to discuss this problem.

Delene Wolfe, assistant superintendent of Finance, reviewed the April 2023 financial report which showed year-to-date income of $129.1 million compared to the budget of $106.2 million, and expenditures of $113.8 million compared to the budget of $165.2 million.

Board voted to approve the tentative

FY2023-2024 Budget which shows revenue at $236.4 million and expenses at $241.7 million, showing a budget deficit of $5.3M. Wolfe said every employee of the county school system will get a raise. The pie chart she presented showed 67% of the revenue will go toward Instruction; 8% to Maintenance; 8% to Administration; 6% to Student Transportation, and the remainder to other areas. Cost of Health Insurance went from 9% of the General Fund to 13% of the GF Budget.

Jared Griffis, assistant superintendent of Human Resources, reported that he expects the 30 open positions to be filled during the personnel actions that will be presented in the Executive Session.

The members were polled on their approval of the resolution regarding the Villa Rica

Eastside TAD, showing only board member Clayton Kierbow voting agains. Motion carried 6-1. The county school system issued a press release (see story front page) regarding the intergovernmental agreement which explained the final terms of the two entities. Although he voted “yes” on the Resolution, Board Member Bart Cater remarked that he wants the minutes to clearly state that Superintendent Scott Cowart was fully behind the Resolution.

In the motion to extend the Contract of Employment of Superintendent Scott Cowart to May 31, 2024, five board members voted yes, while Brooks and Cater voted no.

Board voted to approve the personnel actions presented by superintendent in executive session. With no further business to attend, the meeting was adjourned.

County school board’s public hearing on FY2023-2024 budget to be June 19th

story by Janice Daniel

The Carroll County Board of Education met on Thursday, May 18, 2023 for its regular monthly meeting. The Consent Agenda prepared on May 15th was approved by the board, and the First Public Hearing on the approved tentative FY2023-2024 Budget was presented.

The Second Public Hearing will be June 19, 2023, with final adoption June 22, 2023. Board approved Budget Amendment #2 to put some retroactive items into the correct budget period.

There was a presentation of the RFP for the Operations Center Project at 1601 Bankhead Highway, showing J&R Construction being chosen as the construction manager at large.

Total estimated cost of $7,220,000 is expected to be covered by $3.5 million in Capital

A Message from your Tax Commissioner

Look for this year’s tax assessment notices to be in the mail June 2023. Assessment notices do not come from the tax commissioner’s office, they are sent from the tax assessor’s office. If you are not receiving your assessment notices and/or tax bills, please check with one of our offices to verify the mailing address we have on file. If it is not correct you need to contact the assessor’s office to have it corrected. You can visit either website to review the address on file at www.carrollcountygatax.com the tax commissioners website or https://qpublic.net/ga/carroll/ the tax assessor’s website. You can also change your address online on the tax commissioner’s website.

Projects and $3.7 million from SPLOST 5. This will cover the GDOT expectations on the drive from school property to the red light on the highway, requiring paving of the road, adding a left-hand turn lane and a pedestrian crossing. Outgoing traffic will be encouraged to go to the red light, and school buses will be required to do so. Other costs will be incurred in renovating two metal buildings currently on the property, and building a metal storage warehouse in preparation to move maintenance there as well. Board approved this RFP with the budget attached to it unanimously.

There were also two easement agreements, already signed by the respective property owners, approved by the board unanimously. These easements required signatures of the

Carroll County Tax Commissioner 432 College Street

Carrollton, Georgia 30117 770-830-5843 board in order to finish closing on the property Friday, May 19, 2023. Cost of the easements is included in the total budget of $7,220,000. Board also approved personnel actions presented by Superintendent Cowart during the Executive Session. Cowart also reminded the board members that their training hours have to be turned in by June 30th.

Positive comments were made about the good faith negotiations between the school board and the City of Villa Rica regarding the TAD (see front page story) and work put into getting it finalized. Chairperson Sandra Morris said it “set a good example” for cooperation in county endeavors toward improvement.

With no further business, the meeting was adjourned.