New BOE budget process begins; school renovations discussed | News

Baldwin County’s Board of Education is moving forward with the FY23 budget giving tentative approval last Tuesday to the $44.8 million proposal from Superintendent Dr. Noris Price and Chief Financial Officer Samantha Jenkins.

The board also approved a timeline for the next steps toward final budget approval. There will be two public budget hearings, May 10 and May 19, both in the board of education meeting room, and final approval is expected to take place at the regular board meeting June 14.

The bulk of the proposed budget, $32.8 million is earmarked for instruction, which includes pupil services and educational media. It also includes the $2,000 salary increase for certified employees that comes from Gov. Brian Kemp’s FY23 state budget and a 3% cost of living raise for classified employees who did not receive a salary increase in FY21 and FY22.

Price and Jenkins informed the board and those in attendance during last Tuesday’s pre-meeting work session that 59% of the school district’s revenue comes from state sources. For this proposed budget that would come to more than $26 million. More than $16 million comes from local sources (property and title ad valorum taxes).

On that note, Baldwin County’s school system millage rate will remain the same as FY22 at 15.29 mills.

Deputy School Superintendent Matt Adams also addressed the board during its work session about E-SPLOST funded projects.

Beginning this summer is the Lakeview Primary School renovations, and the board approved the Guaranteed Maximum Price from Garbutt Construction of $5.7 million. Adams said demolition will begin after the school term ends and renovation will begin after graduation ceremonies in order to be completed by July 22. Teachers return July 26, and students return Aug. 3.

“We have our district office renovation, a tentative start date, basically the 2022-23 school year, that’s still tentative as to what that’s going to look like,” said Adams. “It will be a phased-in project. As we get more information, that will be forthcoming. Phase I, we want to look at the board room, the room we’re in now. We have some roof issues and HVAC issues we want to address.

“Phase 2 would be the office suites, the restrooms.

“Then we have the (Lakeview Academy) renovation that will be scheduled for summer 2023. Hopefully this coming summer we’ll get a construction manager on board and GMP approved by the first of next year.”

Adams brought up a phased renovation project at Baldwin High School with a tentative start date of summer 2024 pending funding. He said applications for Department of Education entitlement dollars to be coupled with SPLOST dollars will be made August 2023. Also slated for the summer of 2024 is the Early Learning Center renovation, and Baldwin Success Academy is to be determined.

“We are discussing with staff, architects, construction managers, programming meetings we’ve had. We are looking at possibilities of that and making a decision in the near future,” said Adams. “Looking further ahead we have the transportation office building. That would be projected for the summer of 2025.”

In other business, the board approved a Request for Proposal for dishwashers-conveyors at Oak Hill Middle School, Midway Hills Academy, Midway Hills Primary and Lakeview Primary. School Nutrition director Susan Nelson these are replacing items more than 20 years old and new ones are “desperately” needed. The amount for the machines is $301,290.57.