BOE approves sale of bonds

Posted by
Staff Writer
in Top Stories
Wednesday, May 25. 2011
Comments (11)
In a called meeting on Tuesday, the Banks County Board of Education unanimously approved a resolution for the sale of $9.03 million in general obligation bonds.

Cory Kirby, attorney with Harben, Hartley & Hawkins, LLP, Gainesville, reported to the board that the bonds were obtained at a rate of 1.795 percent. “Just today, we were able to get this rate,” Kirby said.

The school system will use special purpose local option sales tax (SPLOST) revenue to repay the bonds.
The resolution calls for the proposed date of issuance of the bonds to be June 9, 2011, and the paying agent for the bonds is U.S. Bank National Association, Atlanta.

After the BOE meeting, Banks County Schools Superintendent Chris Erwin and Kirby attended the Banks County Board of Commissioners to recommend the BOC approve the levy of a tax sufficient to pay the principal and interest on the bonds in the event the school system doesn’t collect enough SPLOST revenue to do so. The BOC unanimously approved the action.
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#1 tired of taxes on 05/25/11 at 07:16 PM [Reply]
Here we go again, just like we did a few years ago!! Get ready people of Banks county for your next tax increase!!
#2 Anonymous on 05/27/11 at 06:57 AM [Reply]
If you can't afford to pay the teachers now and you have to lay some off like in the past why do you want to build another school? I know the SPLOST pays for the building but what about staffing it,power bill, ins. etc.
#2.1 Proud Banks County Citizen on 06/12/11 at 10:43 PM [Reply]
A new building is not going to require new teachers. The BOE employees the number of teachers and administrators it needs to accommodate the number of students. The state sets the "maximum class size", not the BOE, and that will not change just because there is a new building. BC student population has grown significantly since the high school was built. (That's not a bad thing; more people = more money for the county). The high school can no longer accommodate the number of students attending it and those students are going to have a classroom whether you like it or not. Take your pick: temporary portable classrooms which are expensive to maintain or a nice functional new building?
#3 Why be tired of taxes - support your village idiots on 05/27/11 at 08:29 AM [Reply]
Well, the people voted the tax I DIDN'T. But I sit and ponder the impact to citizens of our county. No growth, sales tax falling due to the economy, no jobs, people losing their homes every day to foreclosure, tax liens, and the school system spending like there is no tomorrow. But least we forget, "It's for the children" who I wonder how many are not legal that I'm educating with my tax dollars. Not to mention we MUST build a new administrative building, keep up with Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson counties in order for outside people not to see that Banks is full of country bumpkins who just recently learned the use of shoes!


Just a word of note: To People in other counties, Banks County/Homer is a laughing stock. Oh and enjoy the $4.00 per gallon gasoline when you drive to Commerce/Cornelia to buy your essentials.
#4 Banks County Proud Parent/Citizen on 05/27/11 at 03:35 PM [Reply]
Yes. Let's stop improving the school system. Our kids will be fine. They can either live off the system, like so many Banks County citizens do, or work entry level - minimum wage jobs and just continue to live with their parents who probably are living off the system. I enjoy reading all of the negative comments on "banksnewstoday" written after articles that have to do with the school system. It makes me proud to see all the spelling and grammar errors too.

I suppose if you are ignorant to think that the school system does not need to be improved then you are also to dumb to recognize sarcasm.

I'm proud to be from BC and want what is best for my children. I truly believe that they are receiving a good education and will be ready for college in a few years. Unfortunately, continuously changing trends in technology and education costs money. For BC kids to receive an excellent education, which each of them deserves, then yes, money is going to have to be spent.

Even if you no longer have children in the school system or never will (thank goodness you did not reproduce) you should still be concerned with the education of today's students. They are the counties future leaders. Do you really think they will do a good job on a mediocre education? Would you be okay hiring a president/senator/governor/mayor etc. with only a high school diploma or GED?
#4.1 Dave on 05/30/11 at 02:30 PM [Reply]
That's the problem with Banks County. "I'm happy to live in Banks, I love Banks, Banks is good enough as it is" people. And NO, people with no children should NOT be paying for education for children of families with 5 or 6!! Retired people should NOT even be paying education tax. And how is a 'beautiful' modern, administration building help the knowledge level of a student? How does paying a superintendant making more money than Greenville County SC help the children of Banks? Educational RAPE only infuriates the populous!! BTW, I'm sure our illustrious leaders in Washington went to Banks County but for the life of me I can't remember Obama being here!!
#4.1.1 Banks Citizen on 06/12/11 at 10:29 PM [Reply]
Who do you think paid for your education?
#4.2 David on 05/30/11 at 02:40 PM [Reply]
Then you spend your money for your children's education and leave mine alone! I would also ask, what jobs are you talking about, the new QT at Banks Crossing? Drive to ANY county in this state, look at the tax money being spent on schools, has it brought our grades up? Hell no, they keep falling and government keeps throwing money into that failing pit. And, I'm fully ok with the hiring of a substandard president/senator/governor because the expensive diploma Obama received off the government dole sure gave us a fine result. And since you're so smart I don't have to point out the Sarcasm do I?
#4.3 Anonymous on 05/30/11 at 10:52 PM [Reply]
Wouldn't it be nice if you looked at the essential improvements to county services this way? If the children are getting such a good education right now then why do we need over 9 million in improvements? I for one will not vote for this SPLOST. It's time to show the bumpkins of the boards that we won't stand for their random spending on trips to Atlanta and other personal excursions while things that matter to the safety and education of the county get cut.
#4.4 j lyons on 06/01/11 at 09:09 PM [Reply]
i moved here three years ago from dekalb county for the main purpose of coming to a better school district. the schools here and the employees are wonderful and do a great job...i know some people have negative thougts about this county...and we have issues with jobs...but the schools are top notch as well as the teachers and alot of students. i would recommend to the negative people that you take stock in what you have here in this county....or maybe go spend some time in Dekalb County and see if they come away with the same opinion. My son recently graduated from banks high he came here as a freshman and it has been a great experience all around
#4.4.1 Nail on the Head Reply on 06/03/11 at 12:54 PM [Reply]
Well you've hit the nail on the head of our problem!! Banks County leadership want the 'pretty' and 'modern' of Atlanta (DeKalb, Cobb, Gwinnet, Fulton) schools but hey in case you haven't looked around WE DON'T HAVE THE CRAPPING TAX BASE OR JOBS to spend like the Atlanta schools. Like the comment above, The only new building other than the schools occuring in Banks County is a QT and I would wonder just how much these jobs will pay? BANKS COUNTY CAN'T SPEND LIKE DEKALB WITHOUT THE MONEY TO DO SO!!
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