Bremen City School System

Board of Education Meeting

December 11, 2007

 

 

            The Bremen Board of Education met in regular session on Monday, December 11, 2007, at 6:00 p.m. in the Warren Sewell Administration Building.  All board members were present with Brandall Lovvorn arriving late.  After the pledge and invocation by Chairman Daryl Sellers, the meeting was turned over to Superintendent Dr. Stanley McCain.

 

            The minutes of the November 12, 2007 and November 16, 2007 meetings were read and approved by consent.  Dr. McCain reviewed the agenda for the December meeting and the board approved the agenda with consent agenda on a vote of 4-0 (Motion Rob Walker, Second: Cliff Coats).  The board heard a financial report from the superintendent.  After hearing the financial report, under “Public Participation” the board heard from two local citizens, Mr. Benny Thurman and Mr. Harry Kent.  Under “Old Business” the board approved the 2008-09 school calendar and board policies BBFA, GBRI/GCRG/GDRH, IHE, GAE and IDCE.  Under “New Business” the board approved the Workers Compensation renewal; an agreement with Haralson Community Health Services; the purchase of 127 iMacs and a new server; After School enrichment activities, After School Day Camp; fundraising requests from Bremen High, Sewell Middle and a Health Occupations fundraising dance; use of facilities requests from the After School Program; a credit completion contract; the selection of Walsworth Publishing as yearbook publisher; waiver of local graduation requirements for a student; renewal of the contract with TruGreen Chemlawn; and the formation of the Bremen City Schools Technology Club.  In the area of personnel, the board approved transfers for Ms. Laura McNeese and Ms. Judy Vaughn, extended day for Kathy Albright, maternity leave for Ms. Kelanie Clotfelter, and the substitute teacher list.  Also approved were the opening of certain certified and professional positions for the next school year and the recruiting plan.

 

Financial Reports

 

          Financial reports as presented for November were approved by the board (Motion: Gordon Parrish, Second: Cliff Coats, vote 5-0).

 

General Fund 

$ 2,083,132.30

CDARS  Bond Proceeds III Series 2007 Construction Fund

$ 2,340,519.29

CDARS GSFIC Construction Fund Final Maturity

$ 3,400,000.00

Haralson County Bond Proceeds Account II

$    554,011.61

Haralson County Debt Service Account II

$           820.63

Haralson County Sales & Use Tax SPLOST II

$    349,389.27

Carroll County Bond Proceeds SPLOST II

$    226,196.45

Carroll County Debt Service SPLOST II

$           639.24

Carroll County SPLOST Sales and Use Tax II

$    599,646.50

Bond Proceeds SPLOST III – Series 2006

$        1,199.72

Bond Proceeds SPLOST III – Series 2007

$ 3,661.631.97

School Nutrition Program

$      99,028.28

School Nutrition Program – Jones Elementary

$        4,107.13

School Nutrition Program – Bremen High School

$      72,893.75

School Nutrition Program – Central Office

$      22,027.40

Bremen High School

$    243,657.01

Sewell Middle School

$    123,065.89

Jones Elementary School

$    101,255.20

Jones Elementary School Williamsburg Trip MM Account

$      12,932.52

Jones Elementary School Williamsburg Trip

$      24,786.01

 

 

Public Participation

 

            After hearing the financial report, the board heard from two local citizens, Mr. Benny Thurman and Mr. Harry Kent.  Mr. Thurman asked the board to change its

meeting time on the second Monday of the month at 6:00 PM and its work session on prior Friday morning at 7:00 AM.  Mr. Daryl Sellers explained that the meeting time is set in policy and that the time set in January has to be consistent for the year.  Mr. Sellers also gave the rationale for the meeting at 6:00 PM on the second Monday of the month and the work session at 7:00 AM on the Friday before the regular board meeting.  The reasons for the Friday morning work session is that most (or all) of the board members have jobs that preclude them from meeting later and many are involved with other school and community activities throughout the week.  He emphasized that this board was a voluntary board that receives no compensation for its services.  The reasons for the second Monday meeting at 6:00 PM were that the board had decided in the early 80’s to change from the first Monday to the second Monday to give ample time for the central office to prepare the agenda items and financial reports that are necessary and very important for the board to review.  The 6:00 PM time was arrived at after a group of citizens had requested a change from 7:00 PM to 6:00 PM back in the 90’s.  The reason for the previous change was to give people a chance to attend the school board meeting and then participate in the city meeting.  Mr. Sellers asked if any board members were willing to make a motion to the effect to change the board meeting times.  No motion was made to change the board meeting times.  Mr. Sellers concluded that with the lack of a motion and a second, the board meeting dates and times would remain the same.

 

          Mr. Harry Kent appealed to the board for tax relief for the senior citizens.  Mr. Rob Walker reiterated to Mr. Kent that the school board had initiated the meeting with the city and the county tax assessor’s office to ensure that citizens 62 and older could claim the $10,000 school tax exemption based upon income.  At the current time, income cannot exceed $52,440 to qualify for this exemption.  Citizens who qualify can file with the tax assessor’s office to receive this tax exemption.  Mr. Kent also questioned the superintendent as to why the system had pulled its resolution from the previous meeting on the bond sale. Dr. McCain explained that it was the feeling that the board could finance the facility construction and improvements with the Carroll County ELOST money without selling bonds and use other means if necessary to borrow just when the money is needed and pay back the loan in the calendar year, or use other means of financing, which would save the system money over the five year life of the ELOST.  It was estimated that at least $36,000 could be saved which could go toward the projects outlined in the ELOST.  Dr. McCain stated that the citizens of Bremen and Haralson County had approved the referendum on March 21, 2006, in the Haralson ELOST for the system to extend the one cent sales tax and to construct the middle school and to provide for other facility improvements and to sell $12 million in bonds for the same.  On    March 20, 2007, the voters of Carroll County approved the extension of the one cent sales tax for school construction and facility improvements as well as technology improvements and school transportation and maintenance vehicles.  The ELOST could also be used to repay debt incurred on the above mentioned priorities.

           

Old Business

 

          The board approved by consent the school calendar for the 2008-2009 school year.  Also approved by consent were changes to the following policies: Board Policy BBFA – Local School Councils; Board Policy GBRI/GCRG/GDRH – Leaves and Absences; Board Policy IHE – Promotion, Placement, & Retention; Board Policy GAE – Personnel Complaints and Grievances; and Board Policy IDCE – Dual/Joint Enrollment.

 

New Business

 

          Under new business the board approved the following by consent:

Workers Compensation renewal with the Georgia Education Workers Compensation Trust; a point of distribution agreement with the Haralson Community Health Services to utilize school nurses for dispensing of antibiotics or other medications in case of a bioterrorist or emergency event; the purchase of 127 iMacs and a server for the new school (Computers will be put into immediate use and then transferred to the new school); After-school Enrichment Activities from January 7, 2008, through February 18, 2008; After-school Day Camp from December 20, 2007 through January 4, 2008; fundraising requests from Bremen High School and Sewell Middle School and a fundraising dance by Health Occupations Students of America on December 8, 2007, at the Bremen Recreation Department; Use of Facilities requests from the After School Program to utilize two mobile classrooms, the playground, one gym, the art-room, and computer room at Jones Elementary from June 2, 2008 through July 25, 2008 for the purpose of conducting a summer camp for students  (the After School Program requested the same facilities for day camp from December 20, 2007, through January 4, 2008; the credit completion contract for students in credit recovery program; the selection of Walsworth Publishing as the yearbook publisher for the Bremen High School; a waiver of local graduation requirements for a student at Bremen Crossroads Academy; renewal of fertilizing and herbicide contract with Trugreen Chemlawn; and the formation of the Bremen City Schools Technology Club whose purpose will be to promote effective, efficient, and ethical use of technology in our educational setting and social environment.  The board also recognized and applauded the efforts of teachers in obtaining educational grants from Carroll EMC.  The board also recognized our schools and the special education program for two awards.  One award from the state honored the Bremen City School System in the education of students with disabilities by increasing the percentage of students who meet or exceed state achievement in Math, by transitioning students to their desired postsecondary outcomes, by achieving a higher percentage of graduates with regular education diplomas, by increasing the percentage of students who meet or exceed state achievement standards for reading/language arts.  The other award from the state recognized our system for excellence in the education of students with disabilities by meeting the state target for students who meet or exceed achievement standards for Math, by meeting state target for students who meet or exceed achievement standards for Reading/Language Arts, by meeting state target for reducing the students who drop out of school, by meeting the state target for students with regular education diplomas, and by meeting the state target for educating young children in the least restrictive environment.

 

Personnel

 

          In the area of personnel the board approved the transfers of Ms. Laura McNeese from part-time to full-time BHS cafeteria worker and Ms. Judy Vaughn from full-time to part-time BHS cafeteria worker (Motion: Rob Walker, Second: Gordon Parrish, vote 5-0)  In other personnel action the board was informed of personnel needs for the next school year.  The board approved the opening of certain certified and professional positions for the next school year on a vote of 5-0 (Motion: Rob Walker, Second: Brandall Lovvorn), and the recruiting plan as presented by the superintendent (Motion: Rob Walker, Second: Gordon Parrish, (vote 5-0).  The board also approved the extended day services of Ms. Kathy Albright (Motion: Rob Walker, Second: Cliff Coats, vote 5-0); the maternity leave for Ms. Kelanie Clotfelter (Motion: Cliff Coats, Second: Gordon Parrish, vote 5-0); and the substitute teacher list (Motion: Rob Walker, Second: Gordon Parrish, vote 5-0).

 

          The meeting was adjourned.

 

 

 

_____________________________

Dr. Stanley McCain, Superintendent

 

 

_________________________________

Daryl Sellers, Chairman

 

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