Concerned Residents Address BOE Regarding Millage Rate Increase

“After the last meeting, I told someone that my participation in the board meeting was not personal, but I did have some questions that I wanted answered,” Edmondon began. “I was told that it felt personal to them. I left with that statement on my mind… And you know, they were right… It is personal to me.

“You have a hand in forming the next generation. The policies and decisions that you make have an effect on students’ lives… the employees of this system… This community has always supported the school system by passing every educational SPLOST presented. Now the community is asking for you to help us. Do not raise our taxes.”

Edmondon also stated that board members have used their position to benefit themselves or their family members, using “intimidation or bullying on other board members to persuade a vote,” and have been in violation of the Open Meetings Act. She concluded her prepared statement with, “This is not the way a school system should be run.”

McClain began her comments by sharing her support for the community and the school system, but added that she has several problems with the board directly violating “every Georgia Sunshine Law Open Meetings Act that there is.”

“I’ve turned it over to the attorney general’s office and I want to let you know that any resolution, rule, regulation, ordinance, or other official action of an agenda adopted, taken, or made at a meeting which is not open to the public as required by this chapter will not be binding, which means you have to go back to the drawing board.”

McClain presented an open records request to each member for the signed affidavits from each meeting, which states that only permitted topics were discussed in executive session.

“You had dinners [in executive session] where people waited for you to come out. My staff waited for you to come out. After an hour, they left, because their time is equally as valuable… Allowing anyone else other than the board into the meeting is also unlawful… We’ve been down this road before… You cannot talk about the budget in a closed meeting… I’m here to ask you to follow the law. Your constituents deserve it. You report to [the public]; Larry reports to you.”

During the 6 p.m. public hearing, speakers included Rohling, Anne Massengade, Donna Neill, Cooter Waller, Heather Adams, Albert Hinson, Danny Hunter, Warren Patrick, and McClain.

McClain readdressed the board as a taxpayer, stating that school boards all over the country are taking advantage of taxpayers.

“Not addressing or answering your constituents in a public meeting is simply passing the buck. The mentality is wrong on every level… It would be much easier and a lot more respectful if you just answer our questions, because we all have a lot [of questions].

Regarding the FAQ sheet that the board recently released, McClain stated, “After consulting with Upson County Tax Commissioner Andy Chastain, he pointed out that the amounts you are advertising in your facts sheet do not take into account the valuation increases in homes from 2021 to 2022, which on average, were around 15 percent increases… What you are actually going to take from the property owners is much higher than what you’re advertising.

“Tell the people the truth instead of misleading them,” she said. “We pay the bill; we want to know exactly what we are going to have to pay.”

McClain mentioned that the board is not maintaining the facilities that the board already has and is not in support of any new facilities being constructed at this time.

“This is all on you… not your staff,” she said.

Rohling spoke in support of the board, providing explanations for the approximately $8,000 required per child to support the approximately 4,000 children in the system.

“I understand that the community and state paid for me while all I paid was property tax… I feel I owe the community for the education paid for my children.”

Rohling cited examples of how equalization money and COVID-19 relief funds were used for “vital supplies.”

Several speakers, including Heather Adams, stated opposition to the tax increase and pointed out the struggles of many in the community, including the elderly population. She also stated that the format of public participation creates “intimidation” and makes the public “defensive,” asking for a town hall type meeting, where an open discussion can take place between the board and public.

“You were all voted to be our voice, but we aren’t hearing you say anything,” Adams commented. “I, and I think it’s safe to say that most of the community, want someone or multiple people on the payroll, or our elected officials, to be able to answer basic questions and concerns that we have.”

Hunter stated that he has been conducting research on the budget and said the fund reserve balance, currently at $13.5 million, of the school system should not exceed 15 percent of the year’s total budget, according to Georgia Code 20-2-167. The $13.5 million accounts for 34.6 percent of the proposed budget. “That’s twice the amount that the state law allows in your equity fund,” he told board members.

He provided calculations, sharing that the board has $5 million excess cash in the reserve, which is “a problem for me… If this is in violation of the law, and you decide to go forward with the millage rate increase, does that make the millage rate increase illegal? I don’t know the answer to that question; maybe the state attorney general does.”

Following public participation, the board held a second reading for board policies IKBB: Divisive Concepts Complaint Resolution Process and IKBC: Material Harmful to Minors Complaint Resolution Process, which were both unanimously approved before the board moved into executive session “for the purpose of discussing personnel matters.”