Newspaper Page Text
Thursday, December 21, 2023
The Oglethorpe Echo
Page C3
Kemp gives teachers, state
employees $1,000 bonus
Staff Report
ATLANTA ??? Gov. Brian Kemp
approved an employee retention
pay supplement of $1,000 for each
of Georgia???s roughly 112,000 state
employees and 196,000 educators
and school support staff on Mon
day.
Kemp also announced school
safety funding will be added to
the yearly base budget and will
provide $45,000 to every public
school in Georgia to use on per
sonnel or improvements to cam
pus security.
"Throughout the pandemic, a
summer of unrest, and the un
precedented challenges of the last
several years, our state employ
ees have worked hard, taken on
additional challenges, remained
committed to serving their fel
low Georgians, and become more
streamlined so we can remain the
best state for opportunity," Kemp
said. "This retention pay supple
ment will arrive during the holiday
season, and it???s part of my admin
istration???s way of showing our ap
preciation for all that they do."
Kemp???s amended 2024 budget
will include approximately $330
million for these one-time pay
supplements, including $202 mil
lion for K-12 teachers and school
support staff. The budget will also
include more than $100 million to
provide annual funding for K-12
schools for security and safety.
???This additional investment in
school safety will benefit every
part of the state,??? Kemp said, ???and
it???s just the latest action we???re tak
ing to secure our classrooms and
back our law enforcement. This
new funding comes on top of the
$7,000 teacher pay raise and his
toric K-12 funding levels we???ve
put in place since I took office.???
Kemp previously had autho
rized two school safety grants, to
taling $185 million. In 2019, he
approved grants of $30,000 for ev
ery public school in the state to use
as they saw fit to improve campus
safety, followed by a second round
of grants announced earlier this
year equaling $50,000 per school.
???The safety and well-being of
our students across the state is al
ways my top priority,??? Lt. Gov.
Burt Jones said. ???I want to thank
Governor Kemp for his support
of significant funding for local
school safety initiatives and his
leadership on this issue. I am look
ing forward to building on this an
nouncement and enhancing school
safety measures, as I outlined in
my Georgia School Safety Initia
tive in October, and strengthening
our commitment to making Geor
gia???s schools the safest in the na
tion.???
Merry Christmas!
At this special time of year, were
sending out a happy hello and our very
best wishes for a festive season!
OGLETHORPE
f EAR, NOSE & THROAT
Robert B. Pitts, MD, FACS ??? Kristin S. Pitts, FNP-C
706-743-0006 ??? 219 W. Boggs St. Lexington, GA 30648
Best Wishes for the Holiday Season
HOME
F U N E R
WILLIAMS TREE SERVICE
& LAND CLEARING
???From the top of the tree down to the roots - We Can Do It All???
- Cell Ph. - 706-255-6764 - text only
CARY WILLIAMS
Owner/ Operator
??? Fully Insured ??? Free Estimates ??? Full Equipped
??? Specializing in Dangerous Tree Removals
??? Stump Grinding ??? Land Clearing ??? Hauling
??? Chipping Equipment
??? Bobcats ??? Chipper ??? Dump Trucks
Also Available: Mulch & Firewood - Delivery or Pick-up
We either make ourselves miserable, or we make
ourselves happy. The amount of work is the same.
Dennis Peter Helmreich
Attorney-at-Law
120 W. Main Street
Lexington, Georgia 30648
706-743-3410
Haircuts and ^
Curls Salon
Winterville
M&rrt| Christmas and
l+apptj New Year to all
clients and friends!
706-742-5531
995 Robert Hardman Rd
Winterville
' Jyierry ftristmas and
fflappy Jsfem Qjear!
Carnes Corner
store & ca-re
173 Railroad Road Stephens ??? 706-759-3314
Mon-Thurs 6:30 AM - 7:00 PM, Fri-Sat 6:30 AM - 8:00 PM
*Open at 6:30 AM for deer season
Oak Tree Plaza and Tenants
and TJP Development LLC
La Cabana
de Don Juan Mexican Restaurant
Trava's Dog Gone Good Cafe
The Lexington Smokehouse
Community Insurance
Lexington Primary Care
Shear Elegance
Golden Panda