School Board To Consider Property Tax Decrease

Oconee County School administrators are asking the Board of Education to approve a $82 million Fiscal Year 2019-2020 Budget that is based on a reduction of the millage rate to 16.5, the lowest rate for county schools since 2003.

The proposal received a positive response from the Board at its work session on Monday and is scheduled to be adopted as a tentative budget at the Board’s meeting on this coming Monday.

At the meeting earlier this week, members of the Board continued to express their frustration with county plans to build roundabouts at the bus entrance and parent entrance to Malcom Bridge Middle School.

Under questioning from Board Member Tim Burgess, Jake Grant, director of facilities for the school system, told the Board that, were it his decision, he would not recommend going forward with the construction because there is no guarantee it can be completed by the start of school on Aug. 7.

Burgess also pushed Grant to explain the county’s rationale for the construction of the roundabouts, and Grant expressed uncertainty in answering.

Board of Commissioners Chair John Daniell was in the audience for the meeting, clearly visible to Board Chair Tom Odom, but Odom did not invite Daniell to speak and answer the question.

For additional information on the Board of Education meeting, along with a video, please go to Oconee County Observations.