Courtsey of WRBE, "Your Hometown Radio"
The cost of education is going up by an estimated $1.8 Million for local students according to George County School District Business Manager Stu White.
During a public hearing on Tuesday evening, White said there was an estimated 5% increase in the budget from $37,106,346 for the 2006-07 fiscal year to an estimated $38,976, 914 for the 2007-08 fiscal year., but for the first time in recent years, the budget will be in the black.
This year the school district will operate with a balanced budget, thanks to additional state funding. For the past two years, the school budget has seen small deficits but the deficits were covered by reserve funds.
Approximately 53% of the total budget is spent on instructional services, which includes teacher salaries, benefits and supplies, according to White, with the district employing 371 teachers and assistant teachers of the 610 total employees.
The funds used by the school district comes from federal, state and local governments, with only a small amount of local taxes used by our local school district, according to White. State laws regulate the amount of local millage that can be used to fund schools, which could be as much as 55 mills, but the local school board has chosen NOT to ask for the full amount to fund George County Schools. White said the amount of mills used by our school district has actually decreased in recent years and is now down to 35 mills, even though the value of each mill has increased.
The amount of state funding expected by the school district this year has increase due to the state government fully funding the Mississippi Adequate Education Program (MAEP), which is the state's portion of the education bill. An increase of $3 Million is expected in the state funding, which will bring the total amount expected to a little more than $24 million.
While the state funding is increasing for this fiscal year, the amount expected from federal funds is expected to decrease from $6.7 Million to around $4 Million.
The school board members have already met in several work sessions to discuss budget priorities and the amount of money the district will be spending next year, White said. The board is expected to approve the budget the next scheduled meeting, on Monday, July 2.
"Special Thanks" to local reporter Royce Armstrong for his assistance with this report.
Friday, June 29, 2007
Thursday, June 28, 2007
New Agenda Format, Voting Issued Address at End-of-Month BOS Meeting
Courtsey of WRBE, "Your Hometown Radio"
Several items were addressed at the George County Board of Supervisors' end-of-the-month meeting on Monday with Supervisors Larry Havard and Lit Eubanks absent.
The Supervisors began by approving items listed on the consent agenda, which included claims dockets, board minutes, tax roll changes and employee travel; which was followed by a brief executive session with Chancery Judges Jaye Bradley and Randy Pierce.
Election Commissioner Connie Lancaster requested the supervisors consider the newly approved pay increase for local poll workers, which could increase as much as an additional $50 per day. Lancaster told the supervisors that getting enough poll workers for elections was the hardest part of the election commissioners job. She said many of the older citizens were willing to volunteer but they could not lift the heavy voting machines and most did not understand the new technology and paper work well enough to be considered. The supervisors took the request under advisement until the July 2 meeting.
Clem Parker, who is the Democrat Party Vice-Chairman for George County, asked the board about handicap accessibility at all the voting precients in the county. Parker said he was there on behalf of the Democrat Party and would have to give them a report. He reminded the board that state and federal laws had been pasted to insure all precients were handicap accessible.
Board President Kelly Wright told Parker that they were well aware of the laws and trying to comply, but to bring each precient up to code would cost “several hundred thousand dollars and the county simply does not have it.,” Wright said. He explained that the county had applied for state funding to bring the buildings up to code, but only received a small amount of state funding. “It was not even enough to complete one,” Wright said. He told Parker that other grants had also been applied for and denied.
Wright and Supervisor Henry Cochran assured Parker that any elderly or handicap person in the county wishing to vote would be able to do so. “We will see to it that they are able to vote,” Cochran said.
Any one handicap or elderly, who can not get to their set precients to vote, needs to contact the Circuit Clerks office or one of the Supervisors prior to election day for arrangements to be made.
Concerned citizen Bill Sheffield addressed the board with wash-out and flooding problems on his property, located on Brannon Road in Dist. 1. Sheffield said he had tried to addressed the problem with the road workers and the foreman on site, and had also spoken to his his supervisor, Lit Eubanks about the problem. Wright told Sheffield that the Board would need to get with Eubanks on the matter.
Emergency Management Coordinator Lorraine Howell reported an increase in insurance from an estimated $32,000 to an estimated $37,000 due to the increase in trucks and equipment, which were obtained through grants.
Three AT&T permits were approved, Bids were opened and taken under advisement for the expansion of Shipman Volunteer Fire Department, two subcontract request were approved in Districts 2 and 5; and the final approval for Green Field Subdivision in District 2 was approved.
Economic Development Coordinator Sue Wright told the Supervisors that George County Industrial Park was seriously being considered by a large manufacturing business but the county had several steps they needed to take before a decision was made. Wright suggested a meeting with the supervisors and with County Engineer Bob Diamond and a meeting was set.
Next Board Meeting is set for Monday, July 2 @ 9:00 a.m.
Several items were addressed at the George County Board of Supervisors' end-of-the-month meeting on Monday with Supervisors Larry Havard and Lit Eubanks absent.
The Supervisors began by approving items listed on the consent agenda, which included claims dockets, board minutes, tax roll changes and employee travel; which was followed by a brief executive session with Chancery Judges Jaye Bradley and Randy Pierce.
Election Commissioner Connie Lancaster requested the supervisors consider the newly approved pay increase for local poll workers, which could increase as much as an additional $50 per day. Lancaster told the supervisors that getting enough poll workers for elections was the hardest part of the election commissioners job. She said many of the older citizens were willing to volunteer but they could not lift the heavy voting machines and most did not understand the new technology and paper work well enough to be considered. The supervisors took the request under advisement until the July 2 meeting.
Clem Parker, who is the Democrat Party Vice-Chairman for George County, asked the board about handicap accessibility at all the voting precients in the county. Parker said he was there on behalf of the Democrat Party and would have to give them a report. He reminded the board that state and federal laws had been pasted to insure all precients were handicap accessible.
Board President Kelly Wright told Parker that they were well aware of the laws and trying to comply, but to bring each precient up to code would cost “several hundred thousand dollars and the county simply does not have it.,” Wright said. He explained that the county had applied for state funding to bring the buildings up to code, but only received a small amount of state funding. “It was not even enough to complete one,” Wright said. He told Parker that other grants had also been applied for and denied.
Wright and Supervisor Henry Cochran assured Parker that any elderly or handicap person in the county wishing to vote would be able to do so. “We will see to it that they are able to vote,” Cochran said.
Any one handicap or elderly, who can not get to their set precients to vote, needs to contact the Circuit Clerks office or one of the Supervisors prior to election day for arrangements to be made.
Concerned citizen Bill Sheffield addressed the board with wash-out and flooding problems on his property, located on Brannon Road in Dist. 1. Sheffield said he had tried to addressed the problem with the road workers and the foreman on site, and had also spoken to his his supervisor, Lit Eubanks about the problem. Wright told Sheffield that the Board would need to get with Eubanks on the matter.
Emergency Management Coordinator Lorraine Howell reported an increase in insurance from an estimated $32,000 to an estimated $37,000 due to the increase in trucks and equipment, which were obtained through grants.
Three AT&T permits were approved, Bids were opened and taken under advisement for the expansion of Shipman Volunteer Fire Department, two subcontract request were approved in Districts 2 and 5; and the final approval for Green Field Subdivision in District 2 was approved.
Economic Development Coordinator Sue Wright told the Supervisors that George County Industrial Park was seriously being considered by a large manufacturing business but the county had several steps they needed to take before a decision was made. Wright suggested a meeting with the supervisors and with County Engineer Bob Diamond and a meeting was set.
Next Board Meeting is set for Monday, July 2 @ 9:00 a.m.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
What Do You Think??
Tell us what you think about the immigration bill??
Do we need to grant citizenship or close our boarders??
Click on "comments" below and post you opinion....
Do we need to grant citizenship or close our boarders??
Click on "comments" below and post you opinion....
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
George County School District Forms Campus Police Department
By Royce Armstrong
Beginning with the 2007-2008 school year, George County will join a growing number of school districts with on campus police departments.
“The paradigm has changed,” Robert Laird, the Director of School Safety for the Mississippi Department of Education, said. “Years ago, if you saw a police officer on a school campus, you thought something was terribly wrong. Now, if you do not see one on the campus, there is growing concern.”
Laird, a native Mississippian, spent a career in law enforcement working for the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He retired as a special agent in New York and took a job heading up the newly formed Division of School Safety for the Mississippi Department of Education in 1998. Since that time his division has become recognized as one of the top school police officer training programs in the nation. The department is one of 16 chosen as advisors to the U.S. Department of Education, and he has helped train school resource officers (SRO) that included Canadian Royal Mounted Police and Mexican Federal police.
When the division was created in 1998, there were three schools and 14 police officers in the program. Today, there are 82 schools with 380 school resource officers and another 300 school safety officers, representing more than half of Mississippi’s 152 school districts.
George County School District Security Officer Ben Brown has already received basic school resource officer training through Laird’s program. Newly hired resource officers Al Hillman and Jason Smith will soon be going through the training.
“School resource officers are the best trained police officers in Mississippi,” Laird said. “The minimum qualifications for an SRO are a minimum of three years as a certified police officer and completion of the basic SRO program. Additionally, SRO must complete 40 hours of continuing training each year compared to a minimum of 12 hours for other police officers.”
Laird said the SRO training is not easy and that approximately 20 percent of each class quits before the training is completed.
The school board recently voted to create the on campus department rather than to share officers employed by either the sheriff’s department or city police. The campus police will have jurisdiction on any school campus in the state, according to Laird. If an extreme emergency arose on another school campus, these officers could be deployed to that area and visa versa. An example, Laird said, would be hurricane evacuation, which falls under the responsibility of the Department of Education because of its school buses.
George County has already been designated as a staging area for evacuees from the coastal counties.
Laird said the George County SRO will have a four-pronged mission. This includes law enforcement, school security, training and support and mentoring.
“About 20 years ago the U.S. Department of Justice recognized that there was a tremendous upsurge in juvenile crime,” Laird said. “Each school campus is a community of juveniles for 180 days each year. In George County, this is approximately 4,000 students, equivalent to the size of a small Mississippi town. Juvenile crime carries over into the school community.”
Laird said the crimes are both violent and non-violent. They include fighting, bullying, extortion and drug and alcohol abuse. During his tenure, he has broken up a prostitution ring in a school and had a situation where kindergarten students were having sex in a restroom.
“There had never been a school shooting before 20 years ago,” Laird said.
School districts forming on campus police departments, rather than sharing officers with local law enforcement agencies is becoming increasingly common, Laird said, although George County is the first in Southeast Mississippi.
Campus police will be equipped similarly to other police departments. School resource officers will wear uniforms and carry handguns on campus. The school board has already approved purchasing campus police cars. Tasers will not be used on students, Laird said.
Creating a campus police department is a long term commitment, Laird said. Now, that the school has done so, it will be very difficult for the school board to disband it because of civil liability issues.
“The issue is constructive notice,” Laird said. “If the school district decided to eliminate the campus police and a serious incident occurred, the courts would look at three tests. These are: What did you know? When did you know it? What action did you take to respond to it? Once it is determined that campus police are necessary, disbanding that police department would put the district out there all alone on a very narrow limb.”
Reporter Royce Armstrong may be reached at rarmstrong@hughes.net or by telephone
at (601) 766-9624.
Beginning with the 2007-2008 school year, George County will join a growing number of school districts with on campus police departments.
“The paradigm has changed,” Robert Laird, the Director of School Safety for the Mississippi Department of Education, said. “Years ago, if you saw a police officer on a school campus, you thought something was terribly wrong. Now, if you do not see one on the campus, there is growing concern.”
Laird, a native Mississippian, spent a career in law enforcement working for the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He retired as a special agent in New York and took a job heading up the newly formed Division of School Safety for the Mississippi Department of Education in 1998. Since that time his division has become recognized as one of the top school police officer training programs in the nation. The department is one of 16 chosen as advisors to the U.S. Department of Education, and he has helped train school resource officers (SRO) that included Canadian Royal Mounted Police and Mexican Federal police.
When the division was created in 1998, there were three schools and 14 police officers in the program. Today, there are 82 schools with 380 school resource officers and another 300 school safety officers, representing more than half of Mississippi’s 152 school districts.
George County School District Security Officer Ben Brown has already received basic school resource officer training through Laird’s program. Newly hired resource officers Al Hillman and Jason Smith will soon be going through the training.
“School resource officers are the best trained police officers in Mississippi,” Laird said. “The minimum qualifications for an SRO are a minimum of three years as a certified police officer and completion of the basic SRO program. Additionally, SRO must complete 40 hours of continuing training each year compared to a minimum of 12 hours for other police officers.”
Laird said the SRO training is not easy and that approximately 20 percent of each class quits before the training is completed.
The school board recently voted to create the on campus department rather than to share officers employed by either the sheriff’s department or city police. The campus police will have jurisdiction on any school campus in the state, according to Laird. If an extreme emergency arose on another school campus, these officers could be deployed to that area and visa versa. An example, Laird said, would be hurricane evacuation, which falls under the responsibility of the Department of Education because of its school buses.
George County has already been designated as a staging area for evacuees from the coastal counties.
Laird said the George County SRO will have a four-pronged mission. This includes law enforcement, school security, training and support and mentoring.
“About 20 years ago the U.S. Department of Justice recognized that there was a tremendous upsurge in juvenile crime,” Laird said. “Each school campus is a community of juveniles for 180 days each year. In George County, this is approximately 4,000 students, equivalent to the size of a small Mississippi town. Juvenile crime carries over into the school community.”
Laird said the crimes are both violent and non-violent. They include fighting, bullying, extortion and drug and alcohol abuse. During his tenure, he has broken up a prostitution ring in a school and had a situation where kindergarten students were having sex in a restroom.
“There had never been a school shooting before 20 years ago,” Laird said.
School districts forming on campus police departments, rather than sharing officers with local law enforcement agencies is becoming increasingly common, Laird said, although George County is the first in Southeast Mississippi.
Campus police will be equipped similarly to other police departments. School resource officers will wear uniforms and carry handguns on campus. The school board has already approved purchasing campus police cars. Tasers will not be used on students, Laird said.
Creating a campus police department is a long term commitment, Laird said. Now, that the school has done so, it will be very difficult for the school board to disband it because of civil liability issues.
“The issue is constructive notice,” Laird said. “If the school district decided to eliminate the campus police and a serious incident occurred, the courts would look at three tests. These are: What did you know? When did you know it? What action did you take to respond to it? Once it is determined that campus police are necessary, disbanding that police department would put the district out there all alone on a very narrow limb.”
Reporter Royce Armstrong may be reached at rarmstrong@hughes.net or by telephone
at (601) 766-9624.
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Time is Running Out for Old County Line School
By Royce Armstrong
After years of neglect, time may finally be running out for the old County Line School.
Without some immediate help, the one room school building, sitting on the north side of the Lucedale City Park, may soon deteriorate into little more than a distant memory in faded photos. The rapidly deteriorating 127-year-old building desperately needs repair and there seems to be little community interest.
“It has been years since I have been in the building,” Gail Gill, a former president of the Lucedale Garden Club said. “The last time I was inside, it was in pretty good shape. But, with the roof the way it is, I would guess that it is not in very good shape now.”
The Lucedale Garden Club is the conservator for the pre-George County structure. The club recently voted to convey the property to the City of Lucedale.
Aldermen are not sure that they want it.
“What are we going to do with it?” Alderman Jessie Underwood wanted to know when Mayor Dayton Whites announced the garden club’s proposed donation at a recent city meeting. “What is it going to take to fix it up?”
According to Gill, she does not believe anyone has been in the building for years, perhaps as many as 10 to 15 years. There are locks on the door, but she does not know if any of the Garden Club members have keys.
What is known, Lucedale Public Works Director Lavell Henderson said, is that the roof needs to be replaced, as well as some of the exterior siding boards. Henderson has not been inside the building. He does not know how much the interior walls, floor, sills or rafters have been damaged by weather and time. Henderson estimated the repairs for what he can see from the outside, including painting, could run around $10,000.
The Garden Club agreed to take charge of the building in the mid-1980s. For the next four or five years, Gill said, the club worked to plant flowers around the building. Period artifacts were collected and borrowed for display inside.
The project was plagued with vandalism, Gill said. At one point the club spent $700 to install an alarm system to discourage the vandals.
“That didn’t work either,” Gill said. “They dismantled the alarm system within three months. Vandals kept breaking in through the windows. The old desks and furniture inside were either stolen or destroyed. For a long time my husband and I would drive by in the evenings to check the windows.”
The Garden Club members eventually became discouraged and stopped spending time or money on the project. The building has basically stood unattended for the past 20 years, according to Gill.
The old one room school house was constructed about 1880, and was originally named the Tyra Evans School, according to a 1969 article written by Gin Grissom for the George County Times. That was 21 years before the City of Lucedale was incorporated and 30 years prior to George County being organized. The building is constructed from heart pine.
The building stood on what was then the Greene and Jackson county line near Evanston. It was built on a 40 acre tract owned by Lamb Davis along a road running from Evanston to Crossroads.
The school was in operation from 1880 until 1924. During the first year, 39 students attended. At the time it was the only school between Pascagoula and Leakesville. The students had names familiar in George County yet today. Names like Frye, Davis, Jordan, Pipkins, Eubanks, Havard, Ward, Walters, Mallette and Cowart.
Aldermen are hopeful that descendents of these early students will step forward, form a benevolent association and work to preserve this piece of their heritage. Or, that some other individual or organization, will agree to help maintain the building.
During the 44 years the building served as a school, it also doubled as a Baptist church. According to the 1969 article, the preachers from the various Baptist churches would take turns holding services in the building.
In 1969, Harrell Tanner, on whose property the school then stood, donated the building to the Lucedale Lions Club. The Lions Club moved it to its present location in the City Park.
Attempts to get the building designated as a historic site, eligible for renovation grant money, have been unsuccessful.
“The reason that we could not get it designated as a historical site,” Gail Gill, a former president of the Lucedale Garden Club said, “is that we were told it had been moved one time too many.”
The garden club has had enough. Now, the city must decide if it wants to try and preserve this unique piece of George County history.
Local Reporter Royce Armstrong may be reached at rarmstrong@hughes.net or by telephone at (601) 766-9624.
After years of neglect, time may finally be running out for the old County Line School.
Without some immediate help, the one room school building, sitting on the north side of the Lucedale City Park, may soon deteriorate into little more than a distant memory in faded photos. The rapidly deteriorating 127-year-old building desperately needs repair and there seems to be little community interest.
“It has been years since I have been in the building,” Gail Gill, a former president of the Lucedale Garden Club said. “The last time I was inside, it was in pretty good shape. But, with the roof the way it is, I would guess that it is not in very good shape now.”
The Lucedale Garden Club is the conservator for the pre-George County structure. The club recently voted to convey the property to the City of Lucedale.
Aldermen are not sure that they want it.
“What are we going to do with it?” Alderman Jessie Underwood wanted to know when Mayor Dayton Whites announced the garden club’s proposed donation at a recent city meeting. “What is it going to take to fix it up?”
According to Gill, she does not believe anyone has been in the building for years, perhaps as many as 10 to 15 years. There are locks on the door, but she does not know if any of the Garden Club members have keys.
What is known, Lucedale Public Works Director Lavell Henderson said, is that the roof needs to be replaced, as well as some of the exterior siding boards. Henderson has not been inside the building. He does not know how much the interior walls, floor, sills or rafters have been damaged by weather and time. Henderson estimated the repairs for what he can see from the outside, including painting, could run around $10,000.
The Garden Club agreed to take charge of the building in the mid-1980s. For the next four or five years, Gill said, the club worked to plant flowers around the building. Period artifacts were collected and borrowed for display inside.
The project was plagued with vandalism, Gill said. At one point the club spent $700 to install an alarm system to discourage the vandals.
“That didn’t work either,” Gill said. “They dismantled the alarm system within three months. Vandals kept breaking in through the windows. The old desks and furniture inside were either stolen or destroyed. For a long time my husband and I would drive by in the evenings to check the windows.”
The Garden Club members eventually became discouraged and stopped spending time or money on the project. The building has basically stood unattended for the past 20 years, according to Gill.
The old one room school house was constructed about 1880, and was originally named the Tyra Evans School, according to a 1969 article written by Gin Grissom for the George County Times. That was 21 years before the City of Lucedale was incorporated and 30 years prior to George County being organized. The building is constructed from heart pine.
The building stood on what was then the Greene and Jackson county line near Evanston. It was built on a 40 acre tract owned by Lamb Davis along a road running from Evanston to Crossroads.
The school was in operation from 1880 until 1924. During the first year, 39 students attended. At the time it was the only school between Pascagoula and Leakesville. The students had names familiar in George County yet today. Names like Frye, Davis, Jordan, Pipkins, Eubanks, Havard, Ward, Walters, Mallette and Cowart.
Aldermen are hopeful that descendents of these early students will step forward, form a benevolent association and work to preserve this piece of their heritage. Or, that some other individual or organization, will agree to help maintain the building.
During the 44 years the building served as a school, it also doubled as a Baptist church. According to the 1969 article, the preachers from the various Baptist churches would take turns holding services in the building.
In 1969, Harrell Tanner, on whose property the school then stood, donated the building to the Lucedale Lions Club. The Lions Club moved it to its present location in the City Park.
Attempts to get the building designated as a historic site, eligible for renovation grant money, have been unsuccessful.
“The reason that we could not get it designated as a historical site,” Gail Gill, a former president of the Lucedale Garden Club said, “is that we were told it had been moved one time too many.”
The garden club has had enough. Now, the city must decide if it wants to try and preserve this unique piece of George County history.
Local Reporter Royce Armstrong may be reached at rarmstrong@hughes.net or by telephone at (601) 766-9624.
Saturday, June 9, 2007
Two School Resource Officers Hired; Policies Debated; LIS Cafeteria to Close
Courtsey of WRBE, "Your Hometwon Radio"
During the George County Board of Education meeting on Tuesday night, two consultants for the Mississippi Department of Education reported to the board that even though the George County School District had some concerns in the special education department in order to meet the Mattie T. Consent Decree, the district was well on its way to be in compliance before the 2010 deadline.
A 1979 investigation showed that the state of Mississippi did not properly identify and educate special needs children; but since that time the Mississippi Department of Education has been working with all school districts in the state to meet the requirements set by the Mattie T Consent Decree, which ensures that special needs children are given the best education possible.
The hiring of two School Resource officers, Al Hillman and Jason Smith, for the 2007-08 school year were approved by the board on Tuesday night, along with the first consideration approval of the policy and guidelines the officers will use in performance of their duties. These new officers and new policies will place a well-trained, certified police officer in the George County Middle School and one in the George County High School. Chief Security Officer Ben Brown will continue with his duties at the elementary schools, overseeing the new officers and continuing to operate and maintain the school security cameras and other security systems.
The school officials also approved to purchase and detail three patrol cars at a total cost of $10,900, which will include a car for each of the resource officers plus a car for Brown.
Several policies were on the evening's agenda, including the high school test exemption policy, which was passed with a 4/1 vote, with Larry McDonald voting against the new policy. McDonald said he was against the lower grade exemption, even though the students met the attendance and “no discipline” requirements. McDonald made a motion to change back to the original policy but the motion died due to no second.
Changes in the Drug Testing Policy were also approved by the board, though some final procedures and who will conduct the testing are still to be worked out.
All students who participate in extracurricular activities are subject to random drug testing with mandatory re-testing for anyone found to test “positive.” For the first offense, parents will be notified, the student must enroll in counseling until dismissed by counselor and one week's suspension from extracurricular activities; second offense students will be suspend from extracurricular activities for 25 school days; and third offenders will be removed from extracurricular activities for one calendar year.
The no tolerance cell phone policy was debated by the board members, passing with a 3/2 vote. All the board members agreed that students should not have cell phones during school hours but Larry McDonald debated that students should be able to have the phones during after school practices to call parents. Wendell Fallon agreed.
The board voted to close the cafeteria at Lucedale Intermediate School for cooking and preparing food, though the students would still be served meals in the cafeteria. Food Services Director Debbie Tillman explained that the food preparations would be made at Lucedale Elementary and with the use of specialized equipment, the food could be taken to Lucedale Intermediate, placed on the steam tables and served, just as the procedures are now. Tillman said the students will not know the difference, they would still be served the same hot, healthy meals as at the other schools.
Superintendent of Education Donnie Howell told the board that the entire kitchen area would have to be renovated and the expense was too great for consideration. He and Tillman both, reassured the board that the newly purchased equipment would allow students at both LES and LIS to be served the same hot, healthy meals as the other schools in the district with no scheduling upsets.
Several bills were approved for payment, including the final payment of $27,660 to D&D Construction for the work at Agricola Elementary and payment of $22,495 to Scott Company for siding work at the Lucedale Intermediate Gymnasium.
Maintenance approvals included the SPED Building air conditioning at $1,860; Central Elementary Gym at $2,122 and storage building at Agricola for $2,000.
To advertise for BIDs to rubberize the George County High School Track was also approved.
A work session with George Regional Hospital to discuss the hospital expansion was set for June 19 at 7 p.m.
During the George County Board of Education meeting on Tuesday night, two consultants for the Mississippi Department of Education reported to the board that even though the George County School District had some concerns in the special education department in order to meet the Mattie T. Consent Decree, the district was well on its way to be in compliance before the 2010 deadline.
A 1979 investigation showed that the state of Mississippi did not properly identify and educate special needs children; but since that time the Mississippi Department of Education has been working with all school districts in the state to meet the requirements set by the Mattie T Consent Decree, which ensures that special needs children are given the best education possible.
The hiring of two School Resource officers, Al Hillman and Jason Smith, for the 2007-08 school year were approved by the board on Tuesday night, along with the first consideration approval of the policy and guidelines the officers will use in performance of their duties. These new officers and new policies will place a well-trained, certified police officer in the George County Middle School and one in the George County High School. Chief Security Officer Ben Brown will continue with his duties at the elementary schools, overseeing the new officers and continuing to operate and maintain the school security cameras and other security systems.
The school officials also approved to purchase and detail three patrol cars at a total cost of $10,900, which will include a car for each of the resource officers plus a car for Brown.
Several policies were on the evening's agenda, including the high school test exemption policy, which was passed with a 4/1 vote, with Larry McDonald voting against the new policy. McDonald said he was against the lower grade exemption, even though the students met the attendance and “no discipline” requirements. McDonald made a motion to change back to the original policy but the motion died due to no second.
Changes in the Drug Testing Policy were also approved by the board, though some final procedures and who will conduct the testing are still to be worked out.
All students who participate in extracurricular activities are subject to random drug testing with mandatory re-testing for anyone found to test “positive.” For the first offense, parents will be notified, the student must enroll in counseling until dismissed by counselor and one week's suspension from extracurricular activities; second offense students will be suspend from extracurricular activities for 25 school days; and third offenders will be removed from extracurricular activities for one calendar year.
The no tolerance cell phone policy was debated by the board members, passing with a 3/2 vote. All the board members agreed that students should not have cell phones during school hours but Larry McDonald debated that students should be able to have the phones during after school practices to call parents. Wendell Fallon agreed.
The board voted to close the cafeteria at Lucedale Intermediate School for cooking and preparing food, though the students would still be served meals in the cafeteria. Food Services Director Debbie Tillman explained that the food preparations would be made at Lucedale Elementary and with the use of specialized equipment, the food could be taken to Lucedale Intermediate, placed on the steam tables and served, just as the procedures are now. Tillman said the students will not know the difference, they would still be served the same hot, healthy meals as at the other schools.
Superintendent of Education Donnie Howell told the board that the entire kitchen area would have to be renovated and the expense was too great for consideration. He and Tillman both, reassured the board that the newly purchased equipment would allow students at both LES and LIS to be served the same hot, healthy meals as the other schools in the district with no scheduling upsets.
Several bills were approved for payment, including the final payment of $27,660 to D&D Construction for the work at Agricola Elementary and payment of $22,495 to Scott Company for siding work at the Lucedale Intermediate Gymnasium.
Maintenance approvals included the SPED Building air conditioning at $1,860; Central Elementary Gym at $2,122 and storage building at Agricola for $2,000.
To advertise for BIDs to rubberize the George County High School Track was also approved.
A work session with George Regional Hospital to discuss the hospital expansion was set for June 19 at 7 p.m.
Aldermen Unsure of Annexation
Courtsey of WRBE, "Your HomeTown Radio"
"Special Thanks" to Local Reporter Royce Armstrong, who assisted with this report.
Two issues topped the Lucedale Board of Aldermen meeting on Tuesday evening with debates and unanswered questions.
First, the Aldermen debated the annexation proposal, which will encompass an approximate two mile area on Beaver Dam Road. Many unanswered question swarmed the issue concerning water, sewage and fire protection for the annex area but to adopt an ordinance was passed with a 3/2 vote—Aldermen Peyton Dudley and Lloyd Welford voting against the issue until some of the concerned could be addressed. Several legal steps must be completed before the annexation is completed, including advertising and a public hearing.
The second debated item was the acceptance of the Old County Line School, located at the Lucedale City Park. The building is currently owned by the Lucedale Garden Club, who wishes to sign ownership over to the City of Lucedale.
Alderman Carrie Moulds expressed that she would like to see the building restored and designed an historical site.
According to Mayor Dayton Whites, the building was constructed in 1880 but exploration to secure possible grant funds to restore the building has been unsuccessful.
The Aldermen chose to continue the issue until next board meeting.
Other items of interest, included the renewal of the Jackson-George Regional Library contract, approving a resolution authorizing the city clerk and the mayor to apply for funding under the Small Municipality and Limited Population Grant to construct the Depot Street sewer.
The aldermen also approved spending $9,016.60 to purchase a sewer inspection camera system and $3,854 to purchase full coverage insurance for the new city-owned Senior Citizens bus.
"Special Thanks" to Local Reporter Royce Armstrong, who assisted with this report.
Two issues topped the Lucedale Board of Aldermen meeting on Tuesday evening with debates and unanswered questions.
First, the Aldermen debated the annexation proposal, which will encompass an approximate two mile area on Beaver Dam Road. Many unanswered question swarmed the issue concerning water, sewage and fire protection for the annex area but to adopt an ordinance was passed with a 3/2 vote—Aldermen Peyton Dudley and Lloyd Welford voting against the issue until some of the concerned could be addressed. Several legal steps must be completed before the annexation is completed, including advertising and a public hearing.
The second debated item was the acceptance of the Old County Line School, located at the Lucedale City Park. The building is currently owned by the Lucedale Garden Club, who wishes to sign ownership over to the City of Lucedale.
Alderman Carrie Moulds expressed that she would like to see the building restored and designed an historical site.
According to Mayor Dayton Whites, the building was constructed in 1880 but exploration to secure possible grant funds to restore the building has been unsuccessful.
The Aldermen chose to continue the issue until next board meeting.
Other items of interest, included the renewal of the Jackson-George Regional Library contract, approving a resolution authorizing the city clerk and the mayor to apply for funding under the Small Municipality and Limited Population Grant to construct the Depot Street sewer.
The aldermen also approved spending $9,016.60 to purchase a sewer inspection camera system and $3,854 to purchase full coverage insurance for the new city-owned Senior Citizens bus.
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
No County Funds Expected to be Used for Million Dollar Road Project
Courtsey of WRBE, "Your Hometown Radio"
In Tuesday's Board meeting, the Supervisors voted to move forward with the $1 million Will Howell Road Project with no cost expected to be paid by the county.
According to District 2 Supervisor Kelly Wright, the entire project will be funded with state funds. Wright explained that each district is allowed funds each quarter (four-year term), to build and maintain state-aid roads, which must meet strict state regulated guidelines.
Wright said when he first took office, almost four-years ago, he chose the Will Howell Road Project at an estimate cost of then $690,000.
Wright said that before the project began, the state funds available became unstable due to Hurricane Katrina recovery and state government decision and the available funds for District 2 fell to less than $500,000. But in recent months, other state funds were added to District 2's state-aid project fund bringing the total to $790,000.
According to County Engineer Bob Diamond, the estimated cost of the Will Howell Road project is now more than $1 million with some of the expenses uncertain due to the rise of fuel and fuel-related cost.
Wright said he voted on Monday to move forward with the Will Howell Project even with a $230,000 short fall on the cost of the entire project, explaining that the portion of county funds to be made available for the project, has been approved to be reimbursed by the state.
In Tuesday's Board meeting, the Supervisors voted to move forward with the $1 million Will Howell Road Project with no cost expected to be paid by the county.
According to District 2 Supervisor Kelly Wright, the entire project will be funded with state funds. Wright explained that each district is allowed funds each quarter (four-year term), to build and maintain state-aid roads, which must meet strict state regulated guidelines.
Wright said when he first took office, almost four-years ago, he chose the Will Howell Road Project at an estimate cost of then $690,000.
Wright said that before the project began, the state funds available became unstable due to Hurricane Katrina recovery and state government decision and the available funds for District 2 fell to less than $500,000. But in recent months, other state funds were added to District 2's state-aid project fund bringing the total to $790,000.
According to County Engineer Bob Diamond, the estimated cost of the Will Howell Road project is now more than $1 million with some of the expenses uncertain due to the rise of fuel and fuel-related cost.
Wright said he voted on Monday to move forward with the Will Howell Project even with a $230,000 short fall on the cost of the entire project, explaining that the portion of county funds to be made available for the project, has been approved to be reimbursed by the state.
Broome to Receive Tanker, Sheriff Request Pay Increase For Deputies
Courtsey of WRBE, "Your Hometown Radio"
During their first of the month meeting on Monday, the George County Board of Supervisors voted to change the format of their agenda to hopeful increase the efficiency of their meetings.
The new format will group routine items, such as accepting claims dockets, approving the Justice Court reports, and approving travel expenses for county employee into a “consent agenda,” requiring only one board action to approval all the items at once. Any item the Supervisors wish to discuss, will be pulled from the consent agenda and added as a main agenda items.
As the meeting continued, travel was approved for County Bookkeeper Amy Havens to attend the Mississippi Association of County Administrators Comptrollers seminar in Biloxi on June 20 and for Emergency Management Coordinator Lorraine Howell and her assist, Nancy Smith to attend a one day training Session in Wiggins for MEMA on June 6 and for Howell herself to attend a three-day workshop on June 25-27.
Howell also reported the Broome Volunteer Fire Department was approved for a Homeland Security Grant for a Tanker Truck at a cost to the county of only $9,750; the remaining 95% of cost will be paid by the Homeland Security Grant.
Several Road issues were addressed and a couple of tax roll corrections were approved.
Senior Citizen Building Coordinator Melinda Harvison gave a report on several items of interest, including a request for a time-limit to be place on the rental of the Senior Building in a single day. Harvison oversees “rented” actives at the Senior Building at a pay rate of $5 per hour and stated that some of the activities last for as many as 16 to 18 hours. She also request her pay rate for overseeing these actives to increase by $1.
A short executive session was held with Sheriff Garry Welford to discuss a county employee and two new hires were accepted at the regional jail and one new deputy for the Sheriff's Department. A new employee for District 1 and one for District 5 was also accepted.
Sheriff Welford made a presentation to the Supervisors at a work session last week for a pay increase for his deputies. On Monday Welford asked the Supervisors to consider a $60,000 increase to his department for next fiscal year, stating that he could make the pay increase effective in July but needed assurance that he could maintain the increase with next year's budget. Welford told the Supervisors that much of his budget was used to train and outfit new officers due to losing newly certified officers to other agency with high pay and better benefits. Welford said that in some nearby communities, the starting pay for a certified officer was more than he could pay his seasoned officers.
Board President Kelly Wright complained that everyone was already putting in for budget increases but the Supervisors had not began to work on next year's budget, with the new fiscal year beginning on October 1. Supervisor Larry Havard commented that the fuel prices were killing the entire county's budget with short falls in all the departments due to fuel cost and increase pricing. Welford's request was taken “under consideration.”
Before adjourning, the Supervisors voted to move forward with a million dollar State-aide Road project for Will Howell Road in District 2.
During their first of the month meeting on Monday, the George County Board of Supervisors voted to change the format of their agenda to hopeful increase the efficiency of their meetings.
The new format will group routine items, such as accepting claims dockets, approving the Justice Court reports, and approving travel expenses for county employee into a “consent agenda,” requiring only one board action to approval all the items at once. Any item the Supervisors wish to discuss, will be pulled from the consent agenda and added as a main agenda items.
As the meeting continued, travel was approved for County Bookkeeper Amy Havens to attend the Mississippi Association of County Administrators Comptrollers seminar in Biloxi on June 20 and for Emergency Management Coordinator Lorraine Howell and her assist, Nancy Smith to attend a one day training Session in Wiggins for MEMA on June 6 and for Howell herself to attend a three-day workshop on June 25-27.
Howell also reported the Broome Volunteer Fire Department was approved for a Homeland Security Grant for a Tanker Truck at a cost to the county of only $9,750; the remaining 95% of cost will be paid by the Homeland Security Grant.
Several Road issues were addressed and a couple of tax roll corrections were approved.
Senior Citizen Building Coordinator Melinda Harvison gave a report on several items of interest, including a request for a time-limit to be place on the rental of the Senior Building in a single day. Harvison oversees “rented” actives at the Senior Building at a pay rate of $5 per hour and stated that some of the activities last for as many as 16 to 18 hours. She also request her pay rate for overseeing these actives to increase by $1.
A short executive session was held with Sheriff Garry Welford to discuss a county employee and two new hires were accepted at the regional jail and one new deputy for the Sheriff's Department. A new employee for District 1 and one for District 5 was also accepted.
Sheriff Welford made a presentation to the Supervisors at a work session last week for a pay increase for his deputies. On Monday Welford asked the Supervisors to consider a $60,000 increase to his department for next fiscal year, stating that he could make the pay increase effective in July but needed assurance that he could maintain the increase with next year's budget. Welford told the Supervisors that much of his budget was used to train and outfit new officers due to losing newly certified officers to other agency with high pay and better benefits. Welford said that in some nearby communities, the starting pay for a certified officer was more than he could pay his seasoned officers.
Board President Kelly Wright complained that everyone was already putting in for budget increases but the Supervisors had not began to work on next year's budget, with the new fiscal year beginning on October 1. Supervisor Larry Havard commented that the fuel prices were killing the entire county's budget with short falls in all the departments due to fuel cost and increase pricing. Welford's request was taken “under consideration.”
Before adjourning, the Supervisors voted to move forward with a million dollar State-aide Road project for Will Howell Road in District 2.
Sunday, June 3, 2007
24 New Certified Officers Graduate
Courtsey of Sun Herald/Sunday, June 3, 2007
Twenty-four graduates of the Southern Regional Public Safety Institute celebrated their completion of the law enforcement training program at Camp Shelby recently. The SRPSI certifies Mississippi law enforcement officers through a nine-week, 400-hour basic academy, and it also offers in-service or advanced training in public safety.
Gulfport police officer Darren Vedros received the Larkin I. Smith Award for his outstanding achievement during the class.
Other South Mississippi graduates of the academy: Tammy Anderson of Gautier; John Bennett of Gulfport; Van Flynt of Wiggins; A.J. Gambino of Hancock County; Mitch Howell of George County; Donald Ison of Gulfport; Michael Krauss of Gulfport; Kyle Malley of Hancock County; Patrick McRaney of Pearl River County; Lance Miller of Biloxi; William Morris of Gautier; William Newell of Biloxi; Brenton Pitre of Bay St. Louis; Troy Prather of Pearl River County; Ashly Ruiz of Gulfport; Deanna Thompson of Hancock County; Jeffery Williams of Gautier; and Shawn Williams of Gulfport.
Twenty-four graduates of the Southern Regional Public Safety Institute celebrated their completion of the law enforcement training program at Camp Shelby recently. The SRPSI certifies Mississippi law enforcement officers through a nine-week, 400-hour basic academy, and it also offers in-service or advanced training in public safety.
Gulfport police officer Darren Vedros received the Larkin I. Smith Award for his outstanding achievement during the class.
Other South Mississippi graduates of the academy: Tammy Anderson of Gautier; John Bennett of Gulfport; Van Flynt of Wiggins; A.J. Gambino of Hancock County; Mitch Howell of George County; Donald Ison of Gulfport; Michael Krauss of Gulfport; Kyle Malley of Hancock County; Patrick McRaney of Pearl River County; Lance Miller of Biloxi; William Morris of Gautier; William Newell of Biloxi; Brenton Pitre of Bay St. Louis; Troy Prather of Pearl River County; Ashly Ruiz of Gulfport; Deanna Thompson of Hancock County; Jeffery Williams of Gautier; and Shawn Williams of Gulfport.
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