[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},"mediaId",6333138,"mediaKeyId","2303566-7c434f426a368cc2955b09246f0455c5","parentId",2303566,"title","Votes at a glance: Houston County Board approves personnel hires, contracts, materials and financial reports","audioSeconds",3289,"startMs",1726000,"endMs",5015000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2303566-7c434f426a368cc2955b09246f0455c5&start=1726&end=5015","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2303566-7c434f426a368cc2955b09246f0455c5/thumbnail_1726000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6333138/Georgia/Votes-at-a-glance-Houston-County-Board-approves-personnel-hires-contracts-materials-and-financial-reports","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6333138-91359e4528e807cc9eb1c7df93e625bc/orig.mp4?Expires=1771178038&Signature=fQuX9XHREs-CHVKcH2oM-ii5zeZUGFsXcP8WAKtozFqY~GmfClFJE0IWYVvPyLTQvOCqybI1V1YuA2HsK290yyCcumdzCwkSCNPdSNLYktfolY97RzDz6xAcvLrl0qH7Dt1YZbY7dy8407SZuW7qPlVAs3uFdcrLlG3TiR3dNtM5dLS8bxQ5w-p5V4HJaIdlGI4cH1uj5fZBwPZ0~TngnjagB-0I0I8ZkXkxKSilsxxbUYa7AMAJHmQdF3ClnpDRCJPUMFwaC5-n2lovG7LPKMdYZS09PQybxM4fV5UikAGXY17KEv9iuQ9Evk~RCWBSa7UARFbz6t-WZp9rBNcI9w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-02-12T07:28:07Z","article","The Houston County Board of Education approved a series of routine and substantive items at its Feb. 11 meeting, voting unanimously on most measures. The board’s recorded outcomes below are drawn from motions made, seconded and announced in the public meeting transcript.

Votes at a glance

- Adopt agenda: Motion to “adopt the agenda as published” approved 6-0.

- Approve minutes: Motion to approve minutes from previous meetings approved 6-0.

- Approve December 2024 financial reports: Motion approved 6-0.

- Purchasing report (February 2025 purchases): Motion to approve purchasing report (total financial impact reported as $3,348,000) — motion made and approved (vote not separately detailed, recorded as approved).

- Personnel report: Motion to approve personnel report including 2,341 contract recommendations for the 2025–26 school year — motion approved 6-0.

- Additional contract recommendations (Courtney Flores, Marquez Ivory, Anna Murphy): Motion approved (result recorded as 4-0 after two recusals were noted).

- Individual personnel approvals and hires (each approved by voice vote, recorded as approved):
- Casey Hopkins as principal, Matt Arthur Elementary School — motion approved 6-0.
- Dr. Arthur Billings as principal, Perry High School — motion approved 6-0.
- Dr. Jessica Watson as assistant principal of instruction, Tucker Elementary School — motion approved 6-0.
- Heather Schmanski as assistant principal for instruction, Bonaire Middle School — motion approved 6-0.
- Andre Davis as assistant principal for discipline, Bonaire Middle School — motion approved 6-0.

- Termination for cause: Motion to accept superintendent’s recommendation to terminate Heather Hurst for job abandonment (school nutrition program food assistant) — motion approved 6-0.

- New certified contingency positions for 2025–26 (20 positions): Motion to approve new certified contingency positions (special education, English language, regular education, EIP/REAP teachers) — motion approved 6-0.

- Teacher contract revision: Motion to approve teacher contract revision as presented — motion approved 6-0.

- Adoption of instructional materials (Benchmark Advance): Motion to adopt Benchmark Advance as the district’s new ELA materials, with a reported financial impact of $3,000,188 to be paid from the general fund — motion approved 6-0. Board discussion referenced five pilot schools and positive teacher feedback from classroom pilots.

Procedural notes and context

Most motions were approved by voice vote and are recorded in the transcript as “Motion approved” with the voting totals shown where reported. Several personnel motions named the individual recommended; votes were unanimous in the public record. For the additional contract recommendations there were two recusals and the approval was recorded as 4-0. The transcript does not contain a roll-call listing how each named board member voted on every motion; in many cases the clerk announced the motion was approved and reported the tally.

Financial and procurement context

The purchasing report was reported in the meeting as totaling $3,348,000 for the February 2025 purchases. The Benchmark Advance adoption was presented with a district cost of $3,000,188 and a demonstration period at five pilot schools; board members described favorable pilot feedback from teachers and staff.

Next steps

Approved hires, materials adoption and budget items will be processed by the superintendent’s office and relevant human-resources and procurement departments. The board adjourned following the completion of new business and vote tallies.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","HCBOE Board Meeting | February 2025","oneSentenceSummary","At its Feb. 11 meeting the Houston County Board of Education approved routine agenda items, December financials, purchasing and personnel reports, a slate of principal and assistant-principal hires, 20 new certified contingency positions, a teacher contract revision and adoption of Benchmark Advance materials totaling roughly $3.0 million.","taxTitle","Houston County, School Districts, Georgia","taxId",15358,"location","Georgia","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6333143,"Houston County Board votes 6-0 to opt out of House Bill 581 homestead-cap provisions after public hearing",1974,2404000,4378000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2303566-7c434f426a368cc2955b09246f0455c5&start=2404&end=4378","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2303566-7c434f426a368cc2955b09246f0455c5/thumbnail_2404000.jpg","/articles/6333143/Georgia/Houston-County-Board-votes-6-0-to-opt-out-of-House-Bill-581-homestead-cap-provisions-after-public-hearing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6333143-18e91c0707cb53643e8ab66c8a01f5dd/orig.mp4?Expires=1771178038&Signature=bzIMPPTAR9vzuxdoy9DgPxuDHuEwIHNEYDhLojxh98Fdor4CsCNV~MWNOm~fKY7e6MpBoKGYUHITnlvjB19xocH5BxYHErc7VZKQ70mnwtVymsqjy4COI~FtOKukrXZaqUq3RJHhRlJKWOcdASa2BFj8597hzbf4WhgL1K4lH9JAQf1Gogt2I8lDVmwXPBoKU0sjCXbu2~gV6B2B7Ql4Ezzar2HY2ZftXpX9fWKZCnObLToWvy4gQkeoe6HV~ThCsfWfKYy3om1OHDNxrGdjRj7-iwM52YHDkP0vTwBG9fQCXR8bbHA04j-g851qaOvZae~ahIgJ5sJ~PQ-KNAJ00Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Houston County Board of Education voted 6-0 Tuesday to opt out of provisions in House Bill 581 that would create a statewide floating homestead exemption and change assessment notices, following the third and final public hearing on the measure.

Board members heard a presentation from district staff outlining potential revenue impacts and then received public comment both supporting and opposing the opt-out. The board acted on a motion to “approve the superintendent’s recommendation to opt out of House Bill 5 81 as written,” made by Board Member Mitchell Nichols and seconded (second not specified), which passed by voice with a 6-0 tally.

The superintendent’s staff presented a fiscal analysis that said, if the statewide homestead cap had been in effect for the 2024 tax year, Houston County Schools “would have lost over $4,000,000,” and that limiting assessed value growth for homesteaded properties would reduce the district’s property-tax revenue used to fund teacher and support-staff salaries, school resource officers, instructional materials and transportation. The presenter said the district’s millage rate “has not increased in the past 16 years,” and noted the district reduced its millage by 1.46 mills in 2024 to 11.719 mills, “the lowest since 1992.” (Statement read at the hearing by district staff.)

During the public hearing, speakers voiced differing views. Rob Charles, identifying himself as a Perry resident, urged the board not to opt out, saying the bill’s passage was intended to limit what he called “back-door tax increases” and pointing to perceived areas of spending to examine; he also noted the superintendent’s salary, saying “the superintendent has received a salary of $372,000 annually” (comment from a resident). Kathy Peterson, another resident, said many voters supported the bill and asked the board to consider taxpayer relief, noting recent increases in housing values and personal tax bills. Resident Riley Glover said the cap protects homeowners on fixed incomes and vulnerable residents from rapid increases and urged the board not to opt out. Joseph Batten, speaking later, urged the board to study the bill’s details and said the district’s staff presentation overstated the projected loss, arguing that the bill’s intent is to smooth inflationary increases in assessed value over time rather than permanently remove revenue for schools.

Board Member Mitchell Nichols urged trust in local stewardship of tax dollars and framed the opt-out vote as preserving local control over millage and budgeting decisions. After discussion, Nichols moved to approve the superintendent’s recommendation to opt out; the board approved the motion by a 6-0 vote.

The record at the meeting shows the board gave formal notice and followed the statutory procedure of holding three public hearings before taking action. The public commenter record included both supporters and opponents; the board’s formal action was to opt out of the House Bill 581 provisions as presented in the superintendent’s recommendation.

The board did not record an itemized roll-call vote in the transcript; the motion passed by voice and was reported as “Motion approved, 6 0.”

Board action and public comment at the hearing make clear the decision responds to the district’s view of potential budgetary risk, while residents cited competing concerns about taxpayer burden and the bill’s intent to limit rapid property-tax increases.

The board’s action to opt out is final as entered in the meeting minutes and will be implemented by the superintendent’s office according to usual administrative practice.

","After a third required public hearing that drew residents both for and against, the Houston County Board of Education voted 6-0 to adopt the superintendent’s recommendation to opt out of portions of House Bill 581 that create a statewide floating homestead exemption and revise assessment notices.","actionData","errors"]

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Votes at a glance: Houston County Board approves personnel hires, contracts, materials and financial reports

Houston County Board votes 6-0 to opt out of House Bill 581 homestead-cap provisions after public hearing