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THE JACKSON HERALD
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 18, 2010
Local taxes down slightly in proposed Jefferson school budget
Jefferson first, second graders
may take CRCT anyway
BYBENMUNRO
JEFFERSON’S school
budget — and local taxpay
ers’ share to fund it — will
decrease as state money for
education has.
The Jefferson Board of
Education (BOE) was pre
sented Wednesday with a
projected $17.25 million
spending plan that calls for
$139,000 — or 2.3 percent
— less in local taxes.
Overall, the proposed bud
get is down 2.2 percent from
the $17.63 million Jefferson
Schools spent last year. The
BOE will vote on the budget
at its September meeting.
This year’s QBE allotment,
which is the money provid
ed to Jefferson through the
state’s funding formula, is
$1.16 million less than last
year. School board chairman
Ronnie Hopkins found that
number troublesome.
“We’re still to educate
basically the same number
of children, but the state is
saying that you’re to do it
with $1,155,000 less than
what we gave you last year
...,’’ Hopkins said. “That’s
huge for a small system.”
The system will take an
additional $291,000 out of
reserves to fund the opera
tion of schools, according to
the proposed figures.
The preliminary budget
includes 10 furlough days
and plans for an additional
reduction of five percent in
state funding allotments.
That reduction was based
on the advice of Herb
Garrett, executive direc
tor of the Georgia School
Superintendents Association,
who told Jefferson super
intendent John Jackson to
anticipate another cut.
“He’s not saying for sure
that there’s one coming,”
Jackson said. “But he was
just basing it all on the most
current information he had.”
That’s not to say things
couldn’t turn around,
Jackson said.
“The lay of the land could
change,” he said. “This is just
what we’re geared up for.”
The BOE has been waiting
for several months to adopt a
budget.
The school system has
operated without one since
July due to uncertainty sur
rounding state funding. The
BOE has approved a series of
monthly spending resolutions
in the interim.
PERSONNEL APPROVED
The BOE made several
hires Wednesday, including
Ashley Aldridge (special edu
cation teacher), Julie Harkins
(Jefferson Middle School
paraprofessional), Amy Wells
(half-time Jefferson Academy
paraprofessional), Reba
Brown (crossing guard), Lori
Gunter (Jefferson Academy
paraprofessional) and Judi
Vrono (system psycholo
gist).
It also approved several
substitute teachers: Whitney
Pugh. Maritza Torres, Ginger
Shumake, Carol Mon, Angie
Howington, Sarah Byers,
Tammy Ilsley, Diane Feeman,
Laura Fuller, Christy Mize
and Margaret Mills.
Douglas Bennett (baseball),
Howard Pollock (middle
school baseball), Rod Dollar
(varsity football), Rusty
Newman ( middle school foot
ball), Brian Holcombe (mid
dle school football), Montrae
Riley (middle school foot
ball), Shane Sorrow (middle
school football), Sean Malone
(girls’ middle school soccer),
Gary Porter (varsity track),
Keith Kies (varsity track),
John Boobas (varsity track),
Christie Daniel (varsity vol
leyball), Barbara Paul (var
sity volleyball), Robert Kerr
(middle school volleyball).
Kevin Anderson (varsity
wrestling). Kyle Baird (var
sity wrestling) and Robert
Yates (varsity wrestling)
were all OK’d as community
coaches.
BYBENMUNRO
GEORGIA WON’T require
first and second graders to take
the CRCT due to state funding
cuts, but Jefferson Schools may
foot the bill locally to administer
that test.
Associate superintendent
Donna McMullan explained
that school leaders don’t want
students going without standard
ized tests for two years before
they enter third grade.
“It’s a big change for third
grade students and we feel like,
in order to prepare them, we
need to put something locally in
place,” McMullan said.
Jefferson isn’t the only system
exploring this.
“Information received from
the Georgia Department of
Education indicated that some
systems were interested in try
ing to secure or use some local
funds to possibly administer the
CRCT in grades one and two,”
McMullen said.
McMullen said the system
needs testing data on students
in those grades — whether it
be the CRCT or in some other
form. The ITBS is a possible
alternate, depending on how that
cost compares to the CRCT.
“We feel like we should have
some type of measure in place
for students in first and second
grade, particularly in second
grade because once those stu
dents get to third grade, we don’t
want that to be their first testing
experience,” McMullan said.
SCHOOL SYSTEM
RESERVE UP SLIGHTLY
Due to higher tax collections
than expected. Jefferson Schools
closed 2009-2010 with slightly
more in reserves than anticipated
with $1.94 million.
School leaders originally
expected to close the books with
$1.8 million in its fund balance.
In other financial news,
Jefferson Schools have collect
ed an average of $159,000 in
SPLOST per month over the
last seven months, higher than
the original $145,000 per month
projection.
“It may be time to take a look
at that projection,” Jackson said.
Jefferson schools’ enrollment up, class size waivers needed
BYBENMUNRO
JEFFERSON Schools look
to take advantage of the state’s
relaxed classroom size rules.
With enrollment up 103 stu
dents over last year, the city
school system has asked the
state to waive maximum class
size requirements for 2010-
2011.
“We do have some classes
with some large numbers, so
we want to make sure we’re
taking a look at that,” asso
ciate superintendent Donna
McMullan said.
With education funding
being hit during the bad
economy, the state is allow
ing more flexibility to class
size regulation laws so local
systems can save money on
personnel.
Without the waiver, schools
would be required to form
new classes and hire ad
ditional teach-ers should the
classroom size exceed the
limit or face QBE funding
cuts if they don’t.
The BOE approved a reso
lution Thursday for the system
to seek that waiver for all four
city schools.
As for the enrollment num
bers, 2,812 students were in
classes system-wide during
the first week of school.
“We’re up 103 students,
which is more than what I had
anticipated.” superintendent
John Jackson said. “Certainly
the increase in enrollment
wasn’t what it was in 2007,
but, again, this number is more
than we thought it would be.
We were expecting 50 to 60
more kids roughly.”
Jefferson High School has
the highest enrollment with
789 students, followed by
Jefferson Elementary School
(731), Jefferson Academy
(654) and Jefferson Middle
School (638).
Jackson pointed to a future
crowding issue, noting high
enrollment in first grade (242)
and third grade (232).
“When those two classes get
into the middle school, I think
there will be a bit of a problem
there because of the size of
those classrooms over there
... Those two classes (first and
third grade), as big as they are,
will make that situation a lot
tighter,” Jackson said.
50C updates code on age requirements for mobile homes
BYANGELA GARY
JACKSON County can no
longer refuse to allow mobile
homes to be located in the
county based on age.
The board of commis
sioners amended the unified
development code Monday
night to address a new state
law that does not allow coun
ties to consider the age of a
manufactured home.
The change comes after the
Georgia General Assembly
passed Senate Bill 384, which
requires that placement of a
mobile home onto property
may not be based off of the
age of the home. The county
planning staff will continue to
inspect manufactured homes
to insure they meet codes.
In other planning busi
ness Monday night, the BOC
approved another amendment
to the UDC in relation to the
new Flood Damage Prevention
regulations. The current
regulations were approved
by the BOC in April, how
ever, the Federal Emergency
Management Agency made
changes that required a text
amendment. The change only
affects the date of applicabil
ity, changing it from Sept. 29,
to Dec. 17.
OTHER BUSINESS
In other business at the
meeting Monday night, the
BOC approved:
•a county-wide road plan,
•the “community agenda”
portion of the county’s com
prehensive plan.
•a lease purchase with
SunTrust Equipment Finance
and Leasing Corporation for
vehicles approved by the
board in the 2010 budget,
including 20 cars for the sher
iff’s office, a dump truck and
mowing equipment.
•a contract with InterAct
Public Safety Systems for the
installation of upgrades to the
911 CAD system to allow for
data transfer to law enforce
ment, mapping upgrades and
criminal history information.
A grant will fund a portion
of this.
•an agreement with the City
of Talmo to provide animal
control services.
•extending a lease agree
ment with Advantage
Behavioral Systems for one
year at a rate of $100 per
month.
•an agreement with
Windstream Communications
to increase the Internet con
nection from 10MB to
50MB.
•a resolution to allow for
the pre-tax treatment of
the employee paid retire
ment contributions to the
Judicial Retirement System
through the implementation
of employer “pick up” con
tributions as allowed by the
Internal Revenue Service.
Exterior restoration of historic
courthouse almost complete
THE EXTERIOR restora
tion of the historic courthouse
is almost complete, according
to members of the Jackson
County Historic Restoration
Committee and the county
administrative staff.
“We expect conclusion
of this phase of the project
near the end of August,” reports
Carol Holzhalb, a member
of the courthouse committee,
’The most striking change is
the removal of the scaffolding
surrounding the building. We
invite you to drive by or walk
by as that happens, where you
will see evidence of the quality
of the exterior restoration.”
Holzhalb says that, for the
next few weeks, there might be
a slight variation in the color
and texture of the lime wash
exterior finish.
‘This is expected and will
correct shortly,” she said. “The
scaffolding removal will help
the original 1908 type of exte
rior lime wash finish to cure
more uniformly over a period
of time as it is exposed to nor
mal sunlighting conditions and
other natural elements. The fin
ished product will be attractive,
historically accurate, and will
allow us to promote our build
ing as environmentally sound.”
Other exterior restoration
to be completed will include:
installation of roof and associ
ated work on the 1879 porches;
touch-up of surfaces, paint, and
lime wash as required; capping
fascia contacts; caulking and
related detailing of the new win
dow encasements; and install
ing outside doors and hardware
and associated woodwork.
“We are getting ready for the
interior restoration,” Holzhalb
said. “We are excited that
this historic building will be
a vibrant center of our com
munity.”
EARN UP TO
9.09%"
Maysville meets on rezoning
THE MAYSVILLE City
Council gave preliminary
approval Thursday to a rezon
ing for property located at 75
Industrial Drive.
The council approved the
first reading of the request
to rezone the property from
Industrial to C-2 Highway
Commercial, so that the prop
erty owner may add additional
buildings. Prior to approval,
the council held a public hear
ing where no citizen spoke
in favor or opposition to the
rezoning.
The council will hold its
final reading of the ordinance
Thursday, at 6 p.m. at the
Maysville Public Library.
Nicholson to
meet Sept. 9
THE Nicholson City
Council will meet at 7
p.m. Sept. 9 at the com
munity center. The meet
ing has been changed from
Sept. 6 due to the Labor
Day holiday.
The Money Tree Inc.
•Series B Variable Rate Subordinated Debentures- Maturity date in four years
subject to automatic extension for one additional four-year period. Interest
rate varies depending on the interest adjustment period selected.
Redemption without penalty only at the end of each adjustment period.
•Subordinated Demand Notes- Interest rate varies depending upon the daily
average balance held. Payable or redeemable at any time. Interest paid at
the time of redemption.
SERIES B VARIABLE RATE
SUBORDINATED DEBENTURES
INTEREST
ADJUSTMENT
TERM
ANNUAL
EFFECTIVE
YIELD
ANNUAL
INTEREST
RATE
MINIMUM
AMOUNT
1 Year
5.13
5.00
$500.00
2 Years
5.65
5.50
$500.00
4 Years
9.09
8.70
$500.00
Debentures: These are fixed rates for these terms.
Investments by Prospectus Only
FOR GEORGIA RESIDENTS ONLY
118 Alps Rd. 64 E. May St. Ste. E
Athens, GA 30606 Winder, GA 30680
www.themoneytreeinc.com
Toll Free 1-877-468-7878
SUBORDINATED DEMAND NOTES
DAILY
BALANCE
$1.00
to
$ 9,999
$ 10,000
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to
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$100,000
AND
OVFR
ANNUAL
EFFECTIVE
YIELD *
3.05
3.30
3.82
4.08
ANNUAL
INTEREST
RATE
3.00
3.25
3.75
4.00
Subordinated Demand Note rates listed are current rates and are subject to
change at anytime over the life of an investment at the Company's option
* Compounded daily based on a 365 day year
THE MONEY TREE INC.
114 S. Broad St.
Bainbridge, GA 39817
THIS ADVERTISEMENT IS NEITHER AN OFFER TO SELL NOR A SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY THE SEC URITIES DESCRIBED ABOVE
AN OFFER MAY ONLY BE MADE BY PROSPECTUS DATED JULY 2.2010 AND THE RELATED PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENTS. THESE
SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES
COMMISSION NOR HAS THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SEC URITIES COMMISSION PASSED UPON THE
ACCURACY OR ADEQUAC Y OF THESE SECURITIES. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE. THESE
SECURITIES ARE NOT CERTIFICATES OF DEPOSIT OR SIMILAR OBLIGATIONS OR GUARANTEED BY ANY DEPOSITORY INSTITUTION. AND
THEY ARE NOT INSURED BY THE EDIC OR ANY OTHER GOVERNMENTAL OR PRIVATE FUND OR ENTITY.
Friday, September 17,2010 at 8:30 p.m.
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