The April meeting of the Jones County Board of Education marked the completion of 75 percent of the school year.
Board Chairman Ginger Bailey called the April 9 meeting to order.
Following the opening prayer and pledge, she opened the reports with her chairman’s comments. Bailey noted that the year was flying by and thanked teachers for all their hard work.
Board member Dr.
Nancy Nash said she attended a presentation at the Middle Georgia Regional Commission last month about the work done by Daybreak. She said that work is done with public money, which made her think of Jones County property owners.
“They provide us with 11 percent of our budget.
We always thank the public for supporting our ESPLOST, but I want to thank all of our taxpayers,” she said.
Board member Alfred Pitts thanked board members for their comments of support at the last meeting after it was made known he would not be running for another term.
“I’ve never worried about what people thought about me. I just try to do the right thing,” he said.
Pitts said he enjoyed the Teacher of the Year ceremony. He pointed out that not one Jones County School was on the school voucher list recently approved by the state legislature.
“You did that despite us,” he said.
In his report, Superintendent Charles Lundy spoke about the Award of Excellence presented to the Board of Education by the Georgia Education Workers Trust.
“That is the result of a lot of hard work,” he said.
Lundy said the paperwork for the Exemplary Board process would be arriving soon. He said the board had its final school visits, which were to Gray Station Middle, Mattie Wells Elementary and Clifton Ridge Middle schools.
“The hard work of teachers and administrators is on display every day,” he said.
Lundy said Jones County’s SWSS contract was sent to the Georgia Department of Education March 25, which will review the document and offer suggestions. He said the plan is to adopt the contract in June.
The superintendent congratulated Chelsey Asbell of Clifton Ridge Middle School for being selected as the school system’s Teacher of the Year and Mary Lineberger, of Mattie Wells Elementary, for her selection as Media Specialist of the Year.
Lundy said the finalists for the Jones County High School project that includes air conditioning for the gym would be announced the following day, and the finalist would be interviewed April 18.
He said the Gifted Fire Showcase for Clifton Ridge would take place Friday morning, and the Gifted Fire Showcase for Gray Station would take place that afternoon.
The superintendent said he was contacted by Keep Jones Beautiful Director Hailey Robinson about Arbor Day. He said this year an Eastern Redbud would be planted at the board office in memory of Linton Jordan.
Lundy reminded board members that the date of graduation is May 21, and it would again be held at Centennial Center at Georgia College.
Finance report
In the absence of CFO Tonya Merritt, Lundy presented the financial report for the date ending March 31, which marks the completion of 75 percent of the school year.
The amount of revenue from state sources was $34,250,425 and total revenues $49,416,525. The total of expenditures was $44,675,789 and ending cash balance $27,056,363.
Veteran Owned Education Special Purpose Sales Tax collections for March totaled $300,887 with average monthly collections of $301,455.
The superintendent thanked the people of Jones County for buying local.
Action items
Lundy recommended the following items, which were all unanimously approved by board members:
• ContractwithLexiaLearning Systems LLC to purchase LETRS Training and materials for all Jones County Elementary K-3 teachers for an estimated cost of $53,132 utilizing funds from ESSER III
• ContractwithAppleIncto purchase 60 Apple iPads, a 3-year Apple Care Plan and iPad cases for Turner Woods Elementary School for an estimated cost of $25,197 utilizing funds from ESSER III
• ContractwithCDW–government to purchase 179 HP Chromebooks and Google Chrome Educational Licenses for Gray Station Middle School under the Sourcewell Contract for as estimated cost of $39,882 utilizing funds from Title 1
• ContractwithCDW–government to purchase 201 HP Chromebooks and Google Chrome Educational Licenses for Gray Station Middle School under the Sourcewell Contract for as estimated cost of $44,784 utilizing funds from ESSER III
• ContractwithStageRightto purchase 6 choral risers for Gray Elementary Chorus Program for the estimated cost of $10,800 utilizing funds from ESSER III
• ContractwithImpactSport Surfaces to purchase services to upgrade the gym floors for volleyball for Clifton Ridge Middle School and Gray Station Middle School for an estimated cost of $21,166 utilizing funds from the Maintenance and Operation Budget
• ContractwithGeorgiaSpecialty Equipment to purchase additional furniture for Mattie Wells Elementary Media Center for an estimated cost of $9,725 utilizing funds from ESPLOST 2019
• ContractwithSoultionZIncto purchase a projector, screen, audio system and installation for Jones County Pre-K for an estimated cost of $20,788 utilizing funds from ESSER III
• ContractwithPowerSchoolLLC to purchase a Human Resources Recruitment System, Absence Management System and Record Retention System Services for JCSS for an estimated cost of $57,017 utilizing funds from the General Fund
• ContractwithAg-Protopurchase a John Deere tractor, backhoe and accessories for JCHS CTAE Department using the Georgia State Contract for an estimated cost of $45,796.15 utilizing funds from ESSER III
• Purchaseof52coatlockers,14 rolling carts and 12 heavy-duty shelving from Amazon.com Services LLC for Jones County Pre-K for an estimated cost of $19,454 utilizing funds from ESSER III
• Amendmentofcontractwith Communications International to purchase 125 two-way radios and accessories to include five repeaters for Jones County schools for an estimated revised cost of $113,435 utilizing $50,000 from the Rural School Safety Grant and $63,435 from ESSER III
• ContractwithMaconCommunications to purchase 40 SL300 two-way radios and accessories for Jones County Pre-K for an estimated cost of $16,680 utilizing funds from ESSER III
• ContractwithWiredFoxTechnologies to purchase 77 SL300 two-way radios and accessories from Turner Woods Elementary School for an estimated cost of $30,723 utilizing funds from ESSER III
• AmendmentofcontractwithJCI Contractors for the Dames Ferry Elementary renovation to include change order #4 in the amount of $144,918 to replace sinks, countertops and paint cabinets in classrooms as noted in paperwork and change order #5 in the amount of $92,619 for upgrades to canopy outside gym and adding additional concrete sidewalk and footings for a total of $235,537 utilizing funds from ESPLOST 2019 with the remaining costs utilizing funds from ESPLOST 2024 for an updated cost not to exceed $10,168,045.
• ContractwithMobileFixture& Equipment to purchase and install a supplemental serving line for JCHS cafeteria for an estimated cost of $53,657 utilizing funds from the nutrition budget Following the approval of the action items, the meeting was adjourned to enter into closed session.
The next work session is 5 p.m. May 9, and the next regular board meeting is schedule at 6 p.m. May 14.
