The Clarke County Board of Education voted on May 8 to approve a tentative fiscal‑year 2026 general fund budget and a tentative millage rate of 18.8 mills, allowing the district to proceed with required public hearings in June.

Chief financial presenter Mister Griner emphasized the tentative nature of the plan: “I’m gonna emphasize the word tentative,” he said, noting the district still awaited final tax-digest numbers from county assessors and that numbers received on April 25 showed higher growth than earlier projected.

Key planning items staff proposed to fund with the $2.2 million of projected excess revenues included:
- Adding three certified (armed/POST-certified) security officers at an estimated combined salary-and-benefit cost of about $300,000; staff said vehicles could be paid for from a separate, one-time state safety grant.
- Adding 14 non‑certified, uniformed (unarmed) officers — estimated salary-and-benefit cost about $840,000 — to provide at least one uniformed presence at each elementary school; currently elementary coverage is provided by two floating officers.
- Restoring $1 million for deferred maintenance (roofs and other priority facility work).

Griner said the district’s projected fund balance at that point would be about 2.6 months of reserves; the recommended range is three to six months. He urged caution because of several external uncertainties, including possible federal funding changes, the state’s “Promise Scholarship” program (which could shift students out of district-operated schools) and other future revenue risks.

Board members debated the security proposals and the sustainability recommendations developed by the district’s sustainability committee. Several members expressed concern about a rapid increase in uniformed security staffing in one year, and asked staff to examine other ways to meet safety goals while preserving capacity for sustainability roles or a grant writer. Griner said rough estimates for sustainability-staff positions would likely be in the low‑to‑mid hundreds of thousands of dollars including salary and benefits and that adjustments to deferred maintenance or other line items could be used to accommodate those hires if the board desired.

The motion to adopt the FY26 tentative budget and tentative millage rate passed; Griner said the final budget and millage rate would be approved at the June board meeting after required public hearings (advertising and hearing dates were planned for early June).