School board votes on compensation
The Fannin County School System officially set their Fiscal Year 2020 Budget during a Board of Education meeting Thursday, September 12.
The budget lists total estimated revenues at $35,950,756.26 for the General Fund, $5,984,590.75 for the Capital Projects Fund and $4,866,704.63 for Special Revenue Funds.
Total estimated expenditures lists $37,003,255.15 for the General Fund, $6,337,280 for the Capital Projects Fund and $5,098,052.12 for Special Revenue Funds.
“We had a very healthy fund balance,” Finance Director Susan Wynn said. “So even though it did increase a little bit more ... I still feel that this is a great budget for us to have.”
The board also voted to purchase one, 61-passenger special needs equipped school bus from Peach State Freightliner Thomas Bus Sales of Georgia for $99,950. The purchase will be funded by $77,220 in state bond bus funds and the remainder will come from SPLOST.
“This particular bus is just a little bit different than we normally buy,” Director of Transportation Denver Foster said. “This bus has a wheelchair position in the front of the bus behind the driver, actually it has three wheelchair positions. It’s a full-sized bus. They call it a 61-passenger, but its on a 72 passenger platform.”
Foster explained that the bus would give the system a unique opportunity to send the bus on field trips and to sporting events without having to place a special needs student on a separate bus away from their peers. Regular seats can also be inserted into the wheelchair positions if additional standard seating is required.
The bus will also feature under-body storage.
“This under-body storage, if it works out, in the future I think it’s something we’re going to recommend on our regular buses as well,” Foster said.
The board voted to purchase eight network switches, fiber modules and redundant power supplies in the amount of $42,432.52 for Fannin County High School at the request of Director of Instructional Technology Heather Finley.
During the meeting, the board voted to pass a resolution that states, “The members of the legislative delegation that represent Fannin County in the Georgia Legislature are requested to implement and pass legislation that will set the annual compensation of the members of the Fannin County Board of Education at $12,000.”
If the legislature votes to implement this, it would set the annual compensation at $12,000 per board member, per year.
Attorney Lynn Doss introduced the resolution and explained that it would need to be passed by the board in order for local legislative representatives to move forward with it.
“The compensation for members of the board of education … cannot be set locally,” she said. “It has to be set by the legislature, under the gold dome, when they’re in session. Our state senator, Mr. Steve Gooch, and our state representative, who happens to be also the Speaker, we’re very fortunate, Mr. David Ralston has seen fit to advance a resolution in the 2020 legislative session …to increase the annual compensation for members of this board.
“In order to do that they have to have a resolution, adopted by this board, saying that this board would be okay if they advance such a resolution.”
Each Fannin County school received GOLD level recognition from the Georgia Department of Education School Nutrition Team through their “Shake It Up in School Nutrition” program.
The program was created as an initiative to “change the culture of school nutrition.” It focuses on three key areas: Tasty Meals, Friendly Cafeterias and Happy Schools.
“Our school nutrition managers, assistant managers, food service assistants and cashiers are helping students build their bodies and minds so they can be ready to learn,” Director of School Nutrition Candice Sisson said. “They have received the GOLD level status for the third year in a row to recognize their leadership in serving students tasty meals in friendly cafeterias in order to promote happy schools.”