The Henry County Board of Education is expected to give its final approval in less than two weeks to a 2021-2022 budget of more than $400 million.
Tentative budget approval was given by unanimous vote at the board’s April 19 regular meeting. The first of two required public hearings took place the same day, with the second public hearing scheduled for May 10, when the board is expected to give final approval to the budget.
Dollar figures released by district officials indicate expected revenues of nearly $407 million and expenditures of about $414.5 million. But a predicted $7.5 million surplus in the special revenue fund is likely to offset the shortfall. Detailed budget information is available for public review at henry.k12.ga.us.
As for the current year’s finances, the district’s employees will get a bonus that is a cut above what was approved statewide. The board voted to approve a one-time pay supplement of $1,500 for full-time staff and $1,000 for part-time staff. Active retirees who are limited to 49 percent or less of full-time pay will receive $735. The supplement was to be delivered to employees in their April 30 paychecks.
This will cost the district a total of $4.2 million out of its general fund, to be combined with about $4.9 million from the state. The Georgia Board of Education approved a pay supplement of $1,000 for full-time and $490 for part-time employees.
In other business, an agreement is in place for use of the former Henry County Middle School campus by the Boys & Girls Club, only it is a different chapter than originally planned. A lease agreement was originally accepted by the Boys & Girls Club of Central Georgia and approved by the school board in the fall of 2019, but that has been nullified because the BGCCG is unable to start the program as planned. Instead, a virtually identical agreement was reached with the Boys & Girls Club of Metro Atlanta for use of the gym and athletic fields among other areas. The district will assume costs for utilities, maintenance and custodial services.
The district is spending more than $1.5 million to implement a therapeutic support program for some students in kindergarten through fifth grade beginning this fall. The board voted unanimously to approve the move, meeting a need that district officials identified several months ago.
A total of 19 personnel additions is included. Funding will be coming from the district’s CARES Act allocation. The program is intended to serve students whose patterns of behavior have necessitated their removal from a regular classroom, so that their educational needs can continue to be addressed.
The board voted unanimously to approve the $540,770 acquisition of more than 1,000 Hewlett Packard laptop computers as well as other devices for some faculty members and administrators. Officials pointed out that since some devices are entering their fifth year of use, the demand for repair and replacement is a bit elevated over previous years. The total number of new devices also accommodates expected growth in enrollment. The district is leveraging a state contract and using CARES Act funds for the purchase.
A $115,998 expenditure was approved for repair work on a portion of the pavement at Hampton High School. The work will be done by Atlanta Paving and Concrete. In a separate action, the school district will receive $9,863 from Georgia Power Company in exchange for the board’s vote to grant an easement on the property of Walnut Creek Elementary School. This will allow the electric company to cut and/or remove trees and vegetation that may be obstructing its power lines, so that future outages during inclement weather can be prevented.
