Several citizens attended a public hearing of the Banks County Board of Education last week to speak in opposition to a proposed millage rate increase.
The BOE is proposing a millage rate of 13.244 mills. This is a 1.5 mills increase over the 2007 millage of 11.744 mills.
Banks County resident Danny Sims said he is concerned about the increase because of the current economy.
“Everybody is cutting back big time and a lot of workers are getting a lot less hours,” Sims said. “Everybody I have talked to is expecting a bad year this coming year. It’s going to be tough on some of the common working people.”
Billy Griffin, Banks County resident asked about the vote taken earlier by the BOE on the proposed increase. BOE members Bo Garrison and Ben Ramsey voted against the tax millage increase.
“I understand that two people voted against the tax raise and three people for it,” he said. “I’d like to hear the reasons they voted for and against it.”
Garrison said, “Well, one reason I voted against it was as you saw there is a two-and-a-half percent salary increase for our certified and non-certified personnel. My concern is we have citizens out here, chicken farmers for instance, that are sitting out of chickens anywhere from 30 to 90 days without a salary, without making nothing … This doesn’t look like a lot of money … but to some it is.” Garrison said he felt like even though the raise was mandated by the state, the school system could turn around on the bottom side of the local supplement and take that 2.5 percent back out. He added that everyone’s salary would remain the same as last year.
“Consciously, I could not vote for this,” Garrison said.
Ramsey said, “We probably have close to $500,000 outstanding in taxes that has not been given to us. Now whether or not we get that, I don’t know. It is tough to see one way or the other but I think we can do more not only as a board, but as a community, to get that money and make sure we get that money on time.”
BOE member Neal Brown said he looked at where the school system is at in preparing the students to go out into the workforce.
BOE member John Williams said, “Eight years ago, when I came on this board, I wanted to do the best to educate the kids of Banks County.”
BOE chairman Ron Gardiner encouraged those in attendance to contact the governor and the legislators about the state cuts in education.
Banks County resident Kenneth Cochran said, “Ya’ll just don’t understand the burden you are putting on the taxpayers. I don’t know a teacher who would want the raise if it meant losing their job.”
Jimmy Allen, Banks County resident, said his wife is employed in the school system and he would like for her to get a raise because if would help him out. However, he added that the increase in taxes would be hard on him because he is self-employed as a carpenter and a farmer.
ANOTHER HEARING HELD
Another hearing on the budget was held Monday night of this week and several teachers in the Banks County school system turned out at the hearing to speak in favor of the millage rate increase.
Mike Brown, a teacher in Banks County since 2000, said, “We have kids scoring the highest they’ve ever scored on tests. It comes with a sacrifice, it’s gonna’ mean more money.”
Banks County teacher Scott Kersh said, “We are about as lean as we can get,” referring to teaching positions. Kersh thanked the BOE for all of their support to the teachers and he thanked the taxpayers for the school facilities.
Banks County resident Michael Mabry, said, “You have to be competitive in teacher salaries and hire the most competent people possible.”
Bud Reiselt, Banks County resident, encourage the board to pass the 1.5 mill increase. “We have excellent qualified teachers and we need to keep them,” Reiselt said.
The Rev. James McLendon, Banks County resident, said, “I believe you will do what is best for our students, our teachers and our Banks County school system.”
Richard Pitts, Lula, said he was against the increased millage rate. “I think we need to figure out a way to do this with what we have.”
The Banks County BOE was scheduled to hold a called meeting at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 23, to vote on the proposed millage rate. Results were not available at press time due to the early holiday deadlines.
