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Barrow County school board postpones millage decision after finance briefing
Summary
After a finance presentation showing higher-than-expected school resource officer costs and proposed freezes of 21.5 positions, the Barrow County Board of Education voted to postpone its millage-rate decision to a July 29 work session.
The Barrow County Board of Education postponed a final vote on its advertised millage rate on June 30 after a detailed finance briefing raised new budget questions.
Miss Houston, the board’s business-services presenter, told trustees June SPLOST receipts were $1,756,830 and said the board’s advertised millage rate remains set at 15.5. She said the county’s rollback rate is 15.193 and presented an analysis showing the district could hold a 15.268 rate while absorbing recent cost changes if it freezes selected positions.
Houston also said the Board of Commissioners’ request to increase funding for school resource officers raised the district’s SRO-related expenditures from about $1,142,000 to roughly $1,900,000. That change would increase budgeted expenditures and require offsets, she said. “We had budgeted dollars 1,142,000…and the board of commissioners came back with a $1,900,000 expenditure,” Houston said.
Board and staff discussion then focused on a plan to freeze 21.5 full‑time equivalent positions. Staff said the freezes were identified with principals and directors to minimize instructional disruption: most schools would lose one position, and the central board office would reduce four positions, staff said. The freezes include some general‑funded special‑education positions chosen based on enrollment and service needs; staff emphasized that IDEA‑funded positions were not being cut.
Trustee Callaway moved to defer the millage vote to the board’s July 29 work session; Doctor Carey seconded the motion, and members voted to postpone the decision. Miss Houston told the board that completing the millage by the end of the month would help the county print tax bills on schedule, and that the county is waiting for the school board to approve its rate before finalizing the county rate.
What happens next: the board is scheduled to reconsider and likely vote on the millage at its July 29 meeting, after additional review of position freezes, SRO funding implications and any joint discussion with county commissioners.
