There’s no money for new textbooks. No cash for supplies at schools and other programs. And there’ll be no funds for students traveling to some events.
That’s the budget crisis the Jackson County School System is facing with its proposed 2010-2011 budget.
For district employees, there’ll be six furlough days next school year, and the elimination of at least four and a half teaching positions, along with a central office position.
Meanwhile, the board of education has directed superintendent Shannon Adams to recommend another round of layoffs in April with a Reduction in Force (RIF) plan.
The first — announced in March 2009 — included the elimination of 38 teaching and non-teaching positions.
“We can’t be all things to all people anymore,” said board chairperson Kathy Wilbanks on Thursday. “We really are going to have to really think about what it is we want to focus on — and then that has to become our priority, and then everything else has to go.”
The Jackson County Board of Education is considering a 2010-2011 budget of $85.9 million — compared to the current budget of $89.2 million. There is no proposal to increase property taxes.
Top Stories
Updated: County BOE to continue with cuts
Wednesday, March 10. 2010
Updated: 2 hours ago
Shooting victim found in wrecked vehicle
Deputies called to a wrecked vehicle on Lipscomb Lake Road Monday evening found a dead man with a gunshot wound in the back of his head. The victim has not been identified but has been described as a “young Hispanic male.” The body has been sent to the state crime lab.
[Full Story »]
[Full Story »]
Schools closing early due to weather
Jackson County schools are closing early today (Tuesday, March 2) due to the snow. Elementary schools are closing at 11:30 a.m. and middle and high schools are closing at 12:30 p.m.
Jefferson to seek state funds for new library
Jefferson leaders agreed Monday night to seek a state grant to help fund a new library for the town.
Jefferson will seek $2 million through Georgia’s public library capital outlay grants program. If approved, the city would have to fund the remaining $2.8 million.
At a work session held earlier this month, Amy Carlan, branch manager of the Jefferson Public Library, said the library’s public meeting room is too small to host larger children’s events and thousands of books have been taken off limited shelf space.
The existing library, located at the intersection of Old Pendergrass Road and Hoschton Street, is within a short walking distance of four city schools and is 5,000 square feet. The council has discussed swapping the land with the Jefferson Board of Education and building a new 15,000 square foot facility elsewhere in the city.
Jefferson will seek $2 million through Georgia’s public library capital outlay grants program. If approved, the city would have to fund the remaining $2.8 million.
At a work session held earlier this month, Amy Carlan, branch manager of the Jefferson Public Library, said the library’s public meeting room is too small to host larger children’s events and thousands of books have been taken off limited shelf space.
The existing library, located at the intersection of Old Pendergrass Road and Hoschton Street, is within a short walking distance of four city schools and is 5,000 square feet. The council has discussed swapping the land with the Jefferson Board of Education and building a new 15,000 square foot facility elsewhere in the city.
Local schools clear in CRCT scandal
All of the schools in the Jackson, Jefferson and Commerce school systems were ranked in the “clear” category of a statewide test erasure analysis.
The Governor’s Office of Student Achievement (GOSA) released its results last week of the spring 2009 Criterion Referenced Competency Test (CRCT) erasure analysis.
The analysis focused on the number of wrong answers that had been changed to right answers on individual student answer sheets in reading, English-language arts and mathematics in grades 1-8.
The state identified 74 schools in Georgia in the “severe concern” category as those having 25 percent or more of its classes flagged for wrong-to-right changes. None of those schools are located in the Jackson, Jefferson or Commerce school districts.
The high-number of changes in some school systems, such as Atlanta Public Schools, has shaken the education establishment in the state and could be a major topic of debate in the 2010 state office elections.
The Governor’s Office of Student Achievement (GOSA) released its results last week of the spring 2009 Criterion Referenced Competency Test (CRCT) erasure analysis.
The analysis focused on the number of wrong answers that had been changed to right answers on individual student answer sheets in reading, English-language arts and mathematics in grades 1-8.
The state identified 74 schools in Georgia in the “severe concern” category as those having 25 percent or more of its classes flagged for wrong-to-right changes. None of those schools are located in the Jackson, Jefferson or Commerce school districts.
The high-number of changes in some school systems, such as Atlanta Public Schools, has shaken the education establishment in the state and could be a major topic of debate in the 2010 state office elections.
Snow blankets area
Heavy snowfall hit Jackson County Friday afternoon and could hang around for most of Saturday with low temps in the area.
All three school systems in Jackson County closed Friday in anticipation of a snow storm.
The snow fell from around 1 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Friday bringing 1"-3" of snow to the area.
A number of wrecks were reported Friday afternoon and during the night around the county. Some involved injuries, but reports were unclear of how serious some of the injuries were. A number of wrecks took place on I-85.
All three school systems in Jackson County closed Friday in anticipation of a snow storm.
The snow fell from around 1 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Friday bringing 1"-3" of snow to the area.
A number of wrecks were reported Friday afternoon and during the night around the county. Some involved injuries, but reports were unclear of how serious some of the injuries were. A number of wrecks took place on I-85.
Did Tolbert end-run JCWSA?
The Jackson County Water and Sewerage Authority is scrambling to undo the 2007 approval by Pendergrass mayor Monk Tolbert of the 300-lot Pendergrass Depot subdivision.
Final approval of the plat, for a subdivision that may be in receivership (officials are not sure), in theory allows the owner to begin selling lots and to obtain building permits.
In signing the plat, Tolbert purported to accept, on behalf of the JCWSA, “all water and sanitary sewer easements,” essentially obligating the authority to accept and operate the water and sewer system installed by the developer — which are not up to the JCWSA’s standards and are in disrepair.
Tolbert, says the JCWSA, does not have that authority.
Eric Klerk, manager of the JCWSA, said the authority is trying to separate itself from Tolbert’s action by serving notice that JCWSA does not recognize Tolbert’s acceptance of the easements.
On the advice of counsel, Klerk sent a tersely worded letter to Tolbert stating that JCWSA “expressly refuses to ratify your acceptance of the water and sewer easements as indicated on the above referenced plat.” [Full Story »]
Final approval of the plat, for a subdivision that may be in receivership (officials are not sure), in theory allows the owner to begin selling lots and to obtain building permits.
In signing the plat, Tolbert purported to accept, on behalf of the JCWSA, “all water and sanitary sewer easements,” essentially obligating the authority to accept and operate the water and sewer system installed by the developer — which are not up to the JCWSA’s standards and are in disrepair.
Tolbert, says the JCWSA, does not have that authority.
Eric Klerk, manager of the JCWSA, said the authority is trying to separate itself from Tolbert’s action by serving notice that JCWSA does not recognize Tolbert’s acceptance of the easements.
On the advice of counsel, Klerk sent a tersely worded letter to Tolbert stating that JCWSA “expressly refuses to ratify your acceptance of the water and sewer easements as indicated on the above referenced plat.” [Full Story »]
Jefferson UMC Church expansion plans approved
After several months of debate, a controversial rezoning for a church expansion project at Jefferson United Methodist Church was approved Wednesday afternoon by the city council.
[Full Story »]
[Full Story »]
Fraud alleged in CB&T failure
Community Bank & Trust, taken over by state and federal bank regulators Friday night and sold to Orangeburg, S.C.-based SCBT, N.A. on Saturday, was a victim of both fraud and bad loans, a former official insists.
“There’s some people in our company going to jail,” said Elton Collins, who until Friday evening at 5 p.m. was president of Jackson County operations. “I know damn well they’re going to jail.”
Collins, however, called the takeover by SCBT “the best switch-over I’ve ever seen of that type,” and said it “really worked out good” for Community Bank & Trust employees.
“SCBT has been very good to everybody,” said Collins. “They are just as nice as they can be at this point. There was not all of that embarrassment Friday night that you typically see.” [Full Story »]
“There’s some people in our company going to jail,” said Elton Collins, who until Friday evening at 5 p.m. was president of Jackson County operations. “I know damn well they’re going to jail.”
Collins, however, called the takeover by SCBT “the best switch-over I’ve ever seen of that type,” and said it “really worked out good” for Community Bank & Trust employees.
“SCBT has been very good to everybody,” said Collins. “They are just as nice as they can be at this point. There was not all of that embarrassment Friday night that you typically see.” [Full Story »]
CB&T fails; FDIC sells assets to SCBT
One of Northeast Georgia’s best-known community banks failed Friday, Jan. 29. Community Bank & Trust was taken over by state and federal regulators and the bank’s assets sold to SCBT, N.A. of Orangeburg, SC.
CB&T is based in Cornelia, GA, and has 36 branches, many in Northeast Georgia, including Jackson and Barrow counties. The firm pioneered supermarket banking in the area. It had assets of over $1.2 billion.
Officials said the bank would continue to operate under the CB&T name, but depositors would automatically become depositors of SCBT.
“This evening and over the weekend, depositors of Community Bank and Trust can access their money by writing checks or using ATM or debit cards,” the FDIC said in a news release. “Checks drawn on the bank will continue to be processed. Loan customers should continue to make their payments as usual.”
Officials said the bank’s failure would cost the Deposit Insurance Fund some $354.5 million.
The bank’s demise comes amid continuing real estate and foreclosure problems in the area. Although it is the largest local bank failure to date, most had expected the FDIC action to happen. The bank had been under a scathing cease and desist order since last summer and its bank rating status had fallen to the lowest level in recent months.
Customers who have questions about Friday’s transaction can call the FDIC toll-free at 1-800-430-7974. The phone number will be operational Friday evening until 9:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time (EST); on Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., EST; on Sunday from noon to 6:00 p.m., EST; and thereafter from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., EST. Interested parties also can visit the FDIC's Web site at http://www.fdic.gov/bank/individual/failed/cbt-cornelia.html.
CB&T is based in Cornelia, GA, and has 36 branches, many in Northeast Georgia, including Jackson and Barrow counties. The firm pioneered supermarket banking in the area. It had assets of over $1.2 billion.
Officials said the bank would continue to operate under the CB&T name, but depositors would automatically become depositors of SCBT.
“This evening and over the weekend, depositors of Community Bank and Trust can access their money by writing checks or using ATM or debit cards,” the FDIC said in a news release. “Checks drawn on the bank will continue to be processed. Loan customers should continue to make their payments as usual.”
Officials said the bank’s failure would cost the Deposit Insurance Fund some $354.5 million.
The bank’s demise comes amid continuing real estate and foreclosure problems in the area. Although it is the largest local bank failure to date, most had expected the FDIC action to happen. The bank had been under a scathing cease and desist order since last summer and its bank rating status had fallen to the lowest level in recent months.
Customers who have questions about Friday’s transaction can call the FDIC toll-free at 1-800-430-7974. The phone number will be operational Friday evening until 9:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time (EST); on Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., EST; on Sunday from noon to 6:00 p.m., EST; and thereafter from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., EST. Interested parties also can visit the FDIC's Web site at http://www.fdic.gov/bank/individual/failed/cbt-cornelia.html.
Recent Comments