Dublin City Board of Education OKs new budget

The Dublin City Board of Education approved a $47.5 million budget Monday that officials say includes $1.4 million in reduced spending mostly on positions eliminated through attrition.

The budget projects the system ending the next fiscal year with a combined fund balance of $822,313. 

The spending plan passed 6-1, with board member James Lanier voting no. The budget was presented, but a vote was delayed until after a lengthy executive session requested by Lanier to discuss duplicate positions. When the meeting was reopened, the budget numbers had not changed, which led Lanier to cast the dissenting vote.

“I thought there were a few more cuts that could be made,” Lanier said Tuesday. 

“I’m proud of the staff for the cuts they’ve made … $1.4 million … that’s something to be proud of,” he said, “but in my opinion there was more that we could have done. It doesn’t mean I don’t support the board or the board’s decision. If we can keep working on getting the millage rate down, we can win back some confidence from the public.”

The public, which turned out en masse at public hearings last fall to protest a tax increase, was a no-show at both hearings on the new budget. 

The school board moved both of the two required budget hearings to the Dublin High auditorium, but Monday night the space was near-empty again – aside from board members and staff, who eventually ended the hearings after 15 minutes when no one showed.

A long over due countywide property revaluation gave a huge boost to the city and county tax digests, resulting in school tax increases after the city and county school boards both failed to roll back their millage rates enough to offset the increase. City residents saw about a 25 percent tax hike.

That digest growth shows in the new budget as it includes $14.8 million in revenue from local taxes, up almost $3 million from a year ago.

According to the budget, the system expects to receive very slight increases in state and federal funding – $17.99 million in QBE and other state funding– an increase of about $100,000 – and $7 million federal funding – about $15,000 more than last year’s budget. However, the plan increases spending on instruction by $2.5 million, to $23.3 million.

Finance director Chad McDaniel told the board the biggest increase will be for non-certified employees for the state health insurance plan. The state has raised the local cost per employee to $1,800 per month – almost double from just a few years ago, and McDaniel said insurance and other benefits will cost about $600,000 more this year.

Despite the decreases in salary, expenditures in the new budget actually increase over last year’s by about $4.5 million. That includes almost $2 million more for capital projects, but that money should come from the SPLOST. 

The board tabled until next month its vote on a plan to make new hires in four categories – paraprofessionals, clerical, school nutrition and custodial – contracted employees, rather than full-time staffers.

Also at Monday’s meeting, the board awarded $407,000 in bids for the building and concrete for a new baseball/multi-use indoor facility near Bush Perry Field.  

The baseball team has been using the former Hardee’s building in the Dublin Mall parking lot. The new facility will offer a safer option for teams needing an indoor space, while also providing much-needed restroom facilities that can be accessible for tennis and other events on the campus.

The 60-by-120 building will be funded through SPLOST (Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax) revenue. The school system budgeted $300,000 for the project. McDaniel said the difference could be made up from $461,000 the system has in its contingency fund for capital projects, “if we don’t have any private donors.” He said several potential donors have expressed interest in giving toward the cos.

The measure passed 6-0. Board member Regina McRae abstained from the vote after voicing concerns over whether the additional money might be needed for school repairs and other budgeted capital projects.

“I want to have room for other things,” McRae said. 

In other business, the school board:

• Approved its application and required “artifacts” for the Georgia School Board Association’s Exemplary Board award, which Williams noted the board has won every year since the award’s inception.

•Approved the following new hires: Marolis Hall-Belle, Jarius Evans and Carl Hall

•Approved the following resignations: Eli Newsome, Joycelyn Holland, Andrew Johnson, Ronald Bonner and Jullian Bartley-Reid

••Approved the following transfer: Kevin Thomas.