Construction Plans for New County Middle School Moving Forward

• Who met: Barrow County Board of Education
• When: Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2011
• Where:
• Who attended: Superintendent Dr. Wanda Creel, Chair Mark Still, Mitch Churchill, Rickey Bailey, William Bramlett Jr., Will Dunn, Randall Holland, Lynn Stevens and Connie Wehunt
• Agenda items

1. Assistant Superintendent Jake Grant reported to the board that construction plans for the new county middle school, which will be located on Jefferson Street in Statham, are going according to plan. Bids will be accepted starting in November.
2. Assistant Superintendent Claire Miller reported on the progress of the application for a grant to fund the Barrow County College and Career Academy, which will provide provide career, technical and agricultural education career pathways for all high school students. The estimated cost of the facility is $11.7 million. The grant would provide $3 million for construction of the building and $150,000 for equipment and other supplies and services. Miller recommended that the board approve the grant application in order to meet the deadline of Sept. 15. The academy was originally scheduled to open in August 2011.
3. The board voted unanimously to switch insurance providers. The change is due to a substantial increase in premiums from Utica National. Upon the recommendation of Barrow County Executive Director of Business Services Chris Griner, the board chose Wright Risk Management to replace Utica. Utica’s quote would have cost the county $368,493, while Wright Risk Management will cost the county $254,002 in the 2012 fiscal year.
4. Griner also reported plans to begin financial recovery efforts of funds due to bad checks written for the school nutrition program. Griner stated there was approximately $3,000 in uncollected fees last year due to insufficient funds. The program will be headed by Duluth-based Envision Payment Systems. The only cost to the county will be supplies for mailing out statements. Griner intends to start the program at the beginning of next year.
5. The board voted unanimously to replace a 25 ton air conditioning unit for the Apalachee High School gym. The unit will cost $25,488 and should be installed by fall break.

Items to be voted on during the business meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 6:

1. The board will decide whether to adopt recent Georgia State Board of Education changes to board training requirements. The amendment requires all new board members to earn 15 credit hours of training and existing members to earn 9 credit hours of training each year.
2. Grant recommended the purchase of six new school buses for the county’s fleet. The buses, including four equipped for special needs, will cost the county $525,394. The purchases, along with twenty purchased last year, are a part of a five year plan to purchase 70 new buses to bring the county’s replacement cycle down from an average of 22 years to 12 years.
3. The board will vote whether to accept Griner’s recommendation to keep the county millage rate at 18.5 percent. The rate has not changed since 2006. They received no public objection.

The Barrow County Board of Education will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 6 at the .