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Commissioner Carol Myers noted that
ACC has citizen oversight committees for
other areas of government, like transpor
tation and solid waste. “This is who we are
here,” she said.
Myers also addressed speakers who said
they’ve never had any problems with police:
“I’ve never had trouble with police, but
that’s not the perspective of everyone in the
community, and we want to build trust for
everyone in the community.”
The commission also voted unanimously
to create a human relations commission
that will receive and investigate complaints
about violations of the county’s recently
passed nondiscrimination ordinance.
CCSD Eyes Old Gaines for Head Start
With early learning at the West Broad
School off the table for now, the Clarke
County School District will use a Head
Start grant to renovate the old Gaines
Elementary building and turn it into an
early learning center.
Initially the plan had been to renovate
eight classrooms at the Whitehead Road
Annex and eight at old Gaines, but after
feeding children at the Whitehead Road
annex proved problematic, district offi
cials decided to renovate both wings of old
Gaines instead, Superintendent Xernona
Thomas told school board members at a
Nov. 4 work session.
Superintendent Xernona Thomas
Board members Tawana Mattox and
LaKeisha Gantt said they’re glad the
Eastside will have access to early learning,
but with the Whitehead annex off the table,
Gantt asked, what about the Westside?
And what happens when the federal grant
expires? The Early Learning Center off
Hancock Avenue will remain open and serve
the Westside, Thomas said. After five years,
the grant will continue as long as CCSD
offers early learning, according to Director
of Early Learning Karen Higgenbotham.
Earlier this year, Thomas proposed to
restore one 1938 building on the West
Broad campus and build a new one to
serve as an early learning center. But the
school board voted it down in large part
because Thomas recommended tearing
down another historic building next door
that historic preservationists said could be
saved.
CCSD is “exploring options” for the
West Broad campus, Thomas said, and early
learning remains one of those options. But
the district had to switch gears or lose the
Head Start grant, because its deadline is the
end of next March. At least one wing of old
Gaines will be ready for children to move in
by then, Thomas said.
Board member Linda Davis said she
still wants to see an early learning center
at West Broad. “We have a commitment to
doing it there, we have two different ways
of doing it there, and I don’t see why we’re
not following through,” she said.
But the physical space isn’t adequate for
the operational needs while keeping both
buildings, Thomas said. The disadvantages
of a three-building plan remain, and the
number of classrooms might need to be
reduced to make it work, she said, adding
that her priority has been to use the $15
million in grants over five years before the
opportunity expires.
“So what you’re saying is that the
three-building concept was never an
option,” board member Mumbi Anderson
said. Thomas responded that she was being
transparent at Davis’ request about what
options the administration was consider
ing, but that three buildings were never
viable. “It can go there, but it can’t go there
in a way that’s fair to the teachers and the
staff,” Thomas said.
Anderson said it was never clearly com
municated that three buildings were not
an option. “I don’t know where that break
down in communication happened,
but I’m really disappointed to hear
that now,” she said.
School officials will go back and
take another look, Thomas said.
It’s possible that by reducing class
rooms from 16 to 10, CCSD might
be able to save the Campbell Street
building along with the Minor
Street building while still leaving
enough space for parking and play
grounds, she said.
Athens Voters Approve School lax
Turnout was low, but those
who did show up overwhelmingly
wanted to extend a 1% sales tax for
education in Clarke County.
ESPLOST 6 passed Nov. 2 with
80% of just over 6,000 votes cast,
an 8.3% turnout. The five-year,
$120 million tax will fund a new
Clarke Middle School, improve
ments at Cedar Shoals High School
and Gaines Elementary School,
athletic facilities at both high schools, new
buses, technology upgrades and other capi
tal projects.
Meanwhile, in Oconee County, voters
rejected a new 1% sales tax for transpor
tation 1,714 votes to 1,534, with just
10.7% turnout. Approval would have raised
between $38 million and $48 million for
road repaving, intersection improvements
and multi-use paths, while also allowing the
county to cut property taxes by 1 mill.
Several local municipalities had elections
as well. Brian Brodrick won a full term as
mayor of Watkinsville, defeating Rebecca
Billings 433 votes to 163. Incumbent
city council member Connie Massey won
re-election 438 votes to 138 over Carolyn
Maultsby. In North High Shoals, Meagan
Cundiff beat Jared Strickland 98 votes to
20 for an open city council seat. And in
Winterville, Melissa Metzger defeated Mark
Farmer 145 votes to 65 for a post on the
city council. ©
Marigold Market Winterville Presents
Ta&te the Seaport Cooking/ Cha££enge
Grab 2-5 of your friends for this team cooking
challenge featuring fresh fall produce and more
which will be provided for the event. $2 to taste
and vote for People's Choice Award
QR code for registration
November 13, 2021
Noon-2pm
Pittard Park
Sponsored by UGA Extension, Concrete
Jungle Athens, Neighborhood Leaders,
UGA Campus Kitchen
All of us at laflTIMni invite you to support
our Neighborhood Leaders through
Family Connection - Communities in
Schools of Athens and suggest/ask/invite
you to check out AGoodStoryFoods.com
Communities
In Schools
Athens
Submit your story, comic,
poem, recipe or photo for
this year’s edition of
Slackpole.
Deadline is 12/1/21
See page 3 for more details.
NOVEMBER 10, 2021 | FLAGPOLE.COM
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