After a promising uptick in October, the Education Special Purpose Local Sales Tax numbers went down for November and December, again falling short of bonded indebtedness payments. Slow revenue from the tax led the board of education to institute a special millage rate to pay off the bonds the E-SPLOST was meant to have covered. In November, E-SPLOST brought in $122,855 while December saw income of $126,578. ’This is lower than average but better than expected,’ said superintendent Dr. Jute Wilson at the Jan. 13 meeting. In other financial news, the board heard the state revised the 2013 statewide equalized digest for Lamar County. The Department of Revenue takes a sampling of properties sold in a county and adjusts the digest ‘“ and thus the school’s ‘local share’ millage it must pay to Georgia, said financial director Kirsten Albritton. ’That year the digest was figured at 41.99% and Lamar was taxed at 40%. It’s actually more than what the tax assessors say it is,’ said Albritton. ‘The DOR equalizes the digest and bases the local share on that. That’s five mills taken off the top. That number did go up and I’m expecting an increase’ in money the schools must allocate to the state. ’We’ll get less money’ from the Department of Education, noted chairman Ron Smith. The board amended the budget after hearing a report on Title IA and IIA funding, federal money allocated by Georgia. It helps pay for some salaries and school-wide programs aimed at helping students with basic learning. ’We tell them what our needs are and they tell us how to spend the money,’ said director of curriculum and staff development Norma Greenwood. The board also: ’¢ Named Smith as chairman and Horace Hightower as vice chairman, giving a plaque for 12 years of service to longtime chairman Susan Byars. ’¢ Approved one field trip and five fundraisers. ’¢ Hired Jennifer Ferguson as a nutrition substitute, Charles Hampton as a custodian and Carlee Duecker as a paraprofessional. ’¢ Accepted the resignations of parapro Deborah Bates and nutrition worker Michelle Dumas. ’¢ Received an award from Relay for Life chairman Marshall Hooks for last year’s 100% participation in the cancer fundraiser. ’¢ Approved medical leave for parapro Shira Lawrence; teachers Vicky Ard, Mary Fink, Kathleen Abrams, Candace Burke, Brittany Todd and Kathy Smith; nurse Angeli Haygood; and clerk Sheila Walker. It was the largest group of medical leave requests in board members’ memory. ’¢ Heard the nutrition program received a $25,000 grant for a new cafeteria oven. ’¢ Accepted the retirements of nutrition workers Wanda Baker, Shirley Mickle, Patsy Walker and Lillie Harp; and teacher Renee Reeves. ’¢ Terminated the employment of nutrition worker Patricia Whatley and custodian Desean Ridley. ’¢ Contracted with Jan Adams to serve as a part time test administrator. ’¢ Named Hammock Scott as the assistant middle school track coach and Marianna Scott as the girls’ track coach. ’¢ Discussed upcoming changes in athletic rules designed to level the playing field between private and public schools in the AA region. ’¢ Called a closed session to discuss personnel.
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