Member: Dublin council not against city schools

A Dublin city councilman wants the public to know it is not the city of Dublin against the Dublin City Schools on consolidation.

During council comments at Thursday”s city council meeting, Bennie Jones said he has heard a lot  about the issue but stressed that “the city of Dublin is not trying to take over Dublin City Schools.”

“This is part of individual citizens that are doing this,” Jones said. “I know what people think … but we as mayor and council have not sat here and voted on anything. This is the citizens who are doing this.” 

Jones has spoken with Dublin Mayor Joshua Kight and told him that his public support of the petition movement leads people to believe the city council is against the city school board.

“That is not us,” Jones said. “I wish that the citizens, who are with the mayor doing this, would come out and take the forefront of this and be the face of this. If you want this done, step out and do it and let your face be known and quit hiding. Be a man, woman or leader and be an adult.” 

A town hall meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday at Theatre Dublin as part of the group’s petition for a referendum to merge the city and county school systems. Dublin Mayor Joshua Kight had previously said this developed from public outcry over a 25 percent tax increase passed last October by the Dublin City Board of Education. The group hopes to gather about 2,800 signatures of registered voters, which is needed to put a referendum on the ballot. This will allow city voters to decide whether or not to continue operating a separate school system.

Jones stressed that citizens should look into the situation and find the facts.

“Just don’t go by what you see or hear at the forum,” he said. “Do your homework. Ask questions because there are a lot of tough questions out there.”

He said parents of students attending Dublin City Schools should be investigating this issue.

“You need to be out in front and asking questions about what’s
going on,” Jones said. “This will affect your children. Please parents, don’t sit back.” 

Also at the meeting:

•Derrick Jackson, who has been in the meter department for 10 years, was named the employee of the fourth quarter for 2024.

“It’s always great to honor our outstanding employees,” Kight said. “We’ll continue those recognitions throughout the year.” 

•The council re-appointed Lauren Shurling Kirkland as its municipal court judge for a two-year term. According to Powell, they made it a two-year term because a change in state law. 

“I appreciate this opportunity,” Kirkland said. 

•The council re-appointed Duke Groover as its city attorney.

“It is a great pleasure and great city,” Groover said. “They have great representatives and the citizens of this city are very, very lucky to have you all and the dedication you show every day.” 

•The council elected Sara Kolbie as the mayor pro tempore.

•The council elected Bennie Jones as the chairman of council. 

•The council named The Courier Herald its official gazette.

•The council approved the purchase of a 2026 Peterbilt 520 front-loader garbage truck for $349,196.05 from Peterbilt.

•The council approved a pipe for the ground water plant in conjunction with the sanitation and water construction facility that is being renovated off of Madison Street. 

“There is a water line that currently runs underneath the facility, and we would like to reroute it around the facility in the event we would ever have to do any work on it,” Powell said. “That way we wouldn’t have to tear up our building.” 

The cost was $69,985.39 to Ferguson Waterworks out of Macon. 

• The council approved an agreement for 29 Flock Falcon tag reader cameras for Dublin Police Department. Powell said the term is for 60 months. 

“The city of Dublin has invested a tremendous amount of money both in the technology that we provide to the police department and in personnel training, equipment and increasing salaries,” Kight said. “We were talking with the chief of police (Keith Moon) earlier, and there have been some really significant decreases in property crimes and violent crimes. We are very hopeful in the investments that we’re making have been paying off for improved safety environment for the city of Dublin.”

•The council approved the purchase of tax parcels for 207 Prince Street, 209 Prince Street, 707, 709 and 711 West Moore Street. 

“These are some properties that were nuisance properties,” Powell said. “We’re buying them in to take care of the nuisance. With the future development of the park, we have some interest in them as well.”