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BARROW JOURNAL
WEDNESDAY, JULY 27, 2016
Barrow high schools below
state average on Milestones
By Al ex Pace
Journal Reporter
Barrow County’s high schools are still lagging behind the state average on standardized
test scores. The Barrow County Board of Education discussed the recently released Georgia
Milestones results at its July 26 meeting.
The assessment tests students in several subjects, scoring them on levels 1-4 (with 4 being
the highest).
District-wide, Barrow County School System high schools scored worse than the state in
most categories.
BCSS had more students score in the bottom category than the state percentage in all sub
jects except biology, U.S. history and economics.
But BCSS did improve its scores over last year. Fewer students scored in the bottom cate
gory this year in all subjects except physical science.
The district performed worst in physical science, with 44 percent of its students scoring in
the lowest category. Director of secondary education Melinda Kay said this may be because
many of the district’s higher-performing students don't take physical science, rather honors
biology.
“We know we're not where we want to be, but we are definitely making some gains to get
there,” said testing and date specialist Jennie Persinger.
The scores were varied between the two high schools. The percentages of those scoring in
the lowest category include:
2016 End of Course Results
Percentage Scoring in Bottom Category
Subject
AHS
WBHS
District
State
9th grade lit
16.7%
28.7%
24%
23%
American lit
17.9
24.1
27
25
Algebra I
37.5
37
32*
30
Analytic Geom.
35.1
37.1
28
27
Biology
24.9
18.7
23
32
Phys. Science
45.5
42.2
44
34
U.S. history
21.8
20.4
24
25
Economics
23.7
36.6
27
28
*District score includes middle school scores.
END OF GRADE TESTS
BCSS elementary and middle school students had less students score in the bottom catego
ry than the state in most subjects on End of Grade assessments. These assessments are given
to students in third-eighth grades in language arts, math, science and social studies.
District-wide, scores for the third-eighth grade End of Course test improved in all subjects.
BCSS had fewer students score in the bottom category than the state in all subjects except
sixth and eighth grade language arts and sixth grade social studies.
But the district had fewer students than the state average scoring as proficient and above in
several subjects. They were:
• sixth, seventh and eighth grade language arts
• sixth and eighth grade math
• seventh grade science
• third and fourth grade social studies
See a breakdown of the End of Grade scores in the August 3 issue of the Barrow Journal.
KEEPING CURRENT BID POLICY
Also at its meeting, the BOE decided to keep its current bid policy. The BOE has been
discussing the need for guidelines on choosing a local versus a low bidder.
Apparently, the BOE has decided its current policy is suitable. The policy allows the board
to consider certain factors (service, location and timeliness of delivery) when choosing bids
that aren’t necessarily the low bid.
The BOE will continue to receive the recommendation of district staff when making bid
decisions.
FUNDRAISER POLICY
Also at its meeting, the BOE opted to table a policy revision on its fundraisers and solic
itations. Assistant superintendent of business services Jennifer Houston recommended the
policy prohibit school employees from depositing or reconciling funds from PTO or booster
clubs. She also recommends requiring a more timely statement of funds from fundraisers.
But PTOs and booster clubs are independent of the school district. The BOE discussed
whether it has the authority to control these fundraisers.
District staff plan to talk with the school governance teams before presenting the policy
revision again.
OTHER BUSINESS
Also at its meeting, the BOE:
• discussed its re-accreditation process which it must complete every five years.
• discussed the replacement Russell Middle School. McNeal Road has been paved
and temporary stripes have been applied. The state fire marshal’s office is inspecting the
building later this week.
• discussed its strategic plan, which it will likely vote on at its Aug. 2 meeting.
• learned construction on the new elementary school is well under way. The district
could soon release a survey on naming the school.
Winder approves SPLOST resolution
City of Winder officials
approved a 2018 Spe
cial Purpose Local Option
Sales Tax Resolution during
a called meeting Tuesday
night although there was
some hesitancy on the part
of at least one council mem
ber.
Bob Dixon said with the
press in attendance he want
ed city attorney John Stell to
explain exactly what could
and could not be done in
terms of the division of pro
ceeds from a SPLOST. Stell
explained SPLOST funds
could not be used for reve
nue bond debt.
Councilman Dixon then
asked city manager Don
Toms to explain what Wind
er would be using its share
of the SPLOST for. Toms
said Winder would receive
20.33 percent and it would
be used for projects such
as roads, sidewalks, parking
and recreation as well as
benefiting the fire and police
departments.
At this point mayor David
Maynard stopped Dixon
from continuing with his
questioning.
“I’m running this meet
ing,” Maynard said. "This is
not a press conference. We
are here to vote on this. If
you need more information
to help determine your vote,
then that's fine. Otherwise,
let’s move on.”
Dixon said he was asking
questions because he needed
more information to decide
how he was going to vote.
Dixon did eventually vote in
favor of the resolution.
Prior to the meeting Dixon
told a reporter he believed
the county was wanting too
high of a percentage in the
SPLOST 2018.
“We’ll go to court if we
have to,” Dixon said.
The City of Auburn also
passed the SPLOST 2018
resolution although council
members in that munici
pality also had reservations
about it. (See related story
beginning on page 1A).
Also at Monday’s called
meeting, the Winder City
Council voted to suspend
the business license for
Shipman Auto Repair at 251
N. Broad Street. There was
concern about the son of the
business owner working at
the location despite having
several run-ins with the law.
When the business was
granted a license, it was with
the stipulation this person
would not be on location.
At one point, the Winder
Police Department found
him hiding under a car at
the location.
The council voted unan
imously to suspend the
license until a hearing on
Aug. 2 at which time the
business could be perma
nently closed down. Coun
cil members Al Brown and
Michael Healan sustained
from voting on the motion.
BOC hears more budget details
By Sharon Hog'an
Journal Reporter
The Barrow County Board of Commis
sioners continued work on its proposed
shortened Fiscal Year 2017 budget during
a meeting on Tuesday, prior to the monthly
meeting.
The BOC, in an attempt to get their fiscal
year to align with the state, will adopt a
nine-month, Oct. 1, 2016 through June 30,
2017, budget for FY2017. The county’s fis
cal year will then run July 1 through June
30, each year.
The meeting was spent clearing up
questions about Fiscal Year 2017 Capital
Improvement Projects that were included
in the county’s five-year Capital Improve
ment Plan.
County manager Mike Renshaw
explained several issues that were ques
tioned by the commissioners during the
budget meeting on July 19, including:
•additional inspector’s position for the
stormwater department at a cost of $50,700,
including benefits. Renshaw said contract
ing out this work would be more costly to
the county and less flexible than having
someone in-house. The person hired to
the new position would also help out with
mapping and GIS work pertaining to the
county’s stormwater system. The state cur
rently requires the county’s urbanized area
to be mapped and inspected and 35 percent
of the county is urbanized. Renshaw rec
ommended including this expense in the
proposed FY 2017 budget.
•9-1-1 Center - $45,000 for voice record
er and $302,000 for phone system. Ren
shaw stated the $45,000 for voice recorder
had been reduced to $27,000. The current
phone system hasn’t been upgraded in 11
years and it will not allow emergency calls
to be texted into the 9-1-1 center and the
new system will enable individuals to be
able to text in calls for help.
•roads and bridges - $176,000 for front-
end loader and used skid steer/Bobcat.
Renshaw said the current rubber tire front
end loader is a 1996 model and it needs
$60,000 in repairs. He said the department
needs two usable tractors.
•fire - service truck upgrades totaling
$17,120. This expense is to upgrade a flat
bed truck that the fire department currently
has. The truck would then be used as a
service truck.
•tax assessor - additional position for
someone to help with appraisals. Tax
commissioner Don Elrod said this could
help the county to see additional revenue.
“Commercial/industrial appraisals are hurt
ing right now,” Elrod said. “We are spread
thin right now.”
•sheriff’s department - five patrol dep
uties, one School Resource Officer, four
Criminal Investigations Division investi
gators and 20 vehicles. Sheriff Judd Smith
said the additional staff is needed to handle
the large call volume that the department
currently receives and the new vehicles are
needed because of the deplorable condition
of the vehicles in the sheriff's department
fleet, "Today I had two deputies pushing
one of our patrol vehicles into the parking
lot at Akins Ford in the 100 degree heat,”
Smith said. Smith told the BOC that so far
this year he has spent over $180,000 on
repairs to his fleet and he was only budget
ed $100,000. BOC chairman Pat Graham
asked Smith if he would be willing to sell
the numerous weapons that he has ware
housed in order to raise money to put into
the purchase of new vehicles. Smith said,
“I would be glad to sell the weapons. But
that money is yours (BOC) to do with as
you see fit.” Smith said the process to sell
the weapons is a five-year process.
•county fees - Renshaw presented a list
of proposed fee increases to be implement
ed in the FY 2017 budget. Fees in sanitary
sewer, recreation, environmental health and
other areas would increase as part of the
proposed plan.
No action was taken on the proposed FY
2017 budget.
The BOC will vote at a date to be
announced later.
County approves SPLOST projects
By Sharon Hog'an
Journal Reporter
The Barrow County Board of Commis
sioners unanimously approved the list of
proposed projects to be included in the
2018 Special Purpose Local Option Sales
Tax (SPLOST).
At the meeting on Tuesday, county man
ager Mike Renshaw presented a list of
proposed projects to be funded with the
county’s portion of the $56.6 million total
projected from the five-year SPLOST,
including:
•$8,663 million, or 30 percent, for road,
street, bridge, curb, sidewalk and stormwa
ter improvement projects.
•$8,663 million, or 30 percent, for the
purchase of equipment, including voting
equipment, transportation vehicles and
equipment, communication equipment, and
technology, systems and software upgrades
and improvements.
•$2,887 million, or 10 percent, for fire
equipment and facilities.
•$4,909 million, or 17 percent, for sewer
system projects and equipment.
•$2,310 million, or eight percent, for
water system projects and equipment.
•$1,443 million, or five percent, for
county facility projects and improvements.
The total for the projected projects is
$28,878 million.
The county will take $11.3 million off
the top of the revenue collected to fund a
Level 2 recreation project at Fort Yargo
State Park that will include soccer and
lacrosse fields.
Before the vote was taken to approve
the list of proposed county projects, BOC
chairman Pat Graham reiterated the fact
that City of Winder officials refused to
agree to an inter-governmental agreement
that would allow $4.5 million to be pulled
off the top of the SPLOST collections
to pay down county debt for the jail and
courthouse.
Since the City of Winder refused the
inter-governmental agreement the upcom
ing SPLOST vote will only be for a five-
year period instead of six years.
“In 2018, if the SPLOST is approved as
is, the $4.5 million annual payment will be
on the property tax bills for county taxpay
ers,” Graham said. "This could amount to
2.7 mills.”
Graham said she tried to explain to
the Winder mayor that 30 percent of the
SPLOST is paid by people outside Barrow
County.
OTHER BUSINESS
In other business at Tuesday’s meeting,
the BOC:
•approved the Georgia Department of
Transportation’s state highway system
revision order of the commissioner regard
ing the West Winder Bypass.
•approved the GaDOT’s state highway
system revision authorizing resolution for
removal or abandonment regarding the
West Winder Bypass.
•approved a contract with the Northeast
Georgia Regional Commission regarding
the Department of Human Services Coor
dinated Transportation Program for the
senior center.
^ Northeast Georgia
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