Jones County Board of Education members welcomed the addition of a Georgia School Board attorney to their meetings while hearing the budget numbers for the coming school year for the first time at their July business meeting.
Board Chairman Ginger Bailey called the July 8 meeting to order and spoke about Senate Bill 123 that took affect July 1. The bill addresses chronic absenteeism and requires the creation of school attendance review teams to address the problem.
Conversely, the bill is an update to the current compulsory attendance policy stating that no student shall be expelled by a public school due solely to absenteeism. Bailey suggested a future work session to study the bill and its requirements.
The chairman introduced GSBA Attorney Sydney Solomon of Macon, who will be attending meetings going forward to assist board members and Interim Superintendent Clinton Burston.
“School’s coming,” Bailey said. “I taught school for 25 years, and I still get excited.”
The superintendent gave a back-to-school update. He said teachers will be back July 23, and the Jones County High School gym renovation is near completion. Burston said three of the new air conditioning units were up and running, and the gym floor was 75 percent complete.
He said the fine arts building was awaiting stage curtains, and the installation of the new press box at the JCHS Football field was in progress.
“It really needed repair,” he said.
Burston said asbestos abatement was underway at the Pre-K building, and maintenance was being performed at all schools.
“Everyone has a part to play.” He said Open House for JCHS is July 25, Gray Station and Clifton Ridge Middle School July 28 and the elementary schools and Pre-K July 29.
Finance report
Jones County School System CFO Tonya Merritt gave the final financial report for the 2025 school year and presented the first look at the budget for the 2026 school year.
Merritt said the June 30, 2025, report represented 100 percent of the school year. She said the total revenues are $65,293,786 and total expenditures $63,428,398. The ending cash balance is $25,697,813.
Education Special Purpose Location Option Sales Tax collection for June was $329,582, and the monthly average collection $310,260.
Bailey thanked the community for its support in buying local.
Merritt continued into the proposed draft budget for FY2026. She started with a presentation that focused on the highlights. The estimated local revenue is $16,697,180 and state revenue $48,312,934, making the total estimated revenue $65,010,114.
The officer explained state revenue represented 74.32 percent of the budget. Increases for the coming year includes $736,346 in new teacher benefits and salaries. She also noted $1,478,829 for items unfunded by the state and retirement contributions.
The proposed 2026 budget was presented with three columns. The first column was the 2025 budget, the second column the proposed 2026 budget and the third column was the 2026 budget including $1,000 supplements for certified employees and $1,000 grade level and step increases.
The difference in the bottom line of column two and column three is $817,426.
At the conclusion of her presentation, Merritt stated that the audit for the 2025 budget has started.
Action items
Burston recommended approval of the following items:
• ContractwithCogniato renew membership fees for an estimated cost of $11,200 utilizing funds from the general budget
• ContractwithCodeHSInc to purchase teacher licenses for 6-12 CTAE teachers for an estimated cost of $11,250 utilizing funds from the CTAE Perkins Program Improvement Grant
• AmendcontractwithArey Jones Educational Solutions to purchase 100 HP Chromebooks and Google Licenses for Turner Woods Elementary School under the state contracat for an updated estimated cost of $26,830 utilizing funds from Title 1
• ContractwithAtlantaAccess Controls Inc to purchase 2 servers and installation services for JCSS for an estimated cost of $39,110 utilizing funds from the technology budget
• ContractwithHoughton Mifflin Harcourt to purchase a one-year subscription of Math 180 and Read 180 for CRMS, DFES, and GSMS for estimated cost of $84,642 utilizing funds from Title 1
• Renewservicesfromthe GSBA for JCSS policy maintenance services, Simbli subscription and membership and dues. Estimated cost of $2,750 for policy maintenance services, $16,360 for Simbli subscription and $13,153 for membership and dues for a total cost of $32,623, utilizing funs from the general fund
• ContractwithGeorgia College and State University for rental of the Centennial Center for JCHS 2025 graduation practice and ceremony for total cost of $22,948 utilizing funds from the FY2025 general fund
• ContractwithTRANEUS Inc to purchase two Odyssey Split System Outdoor Unites for Mattie Wells Elementary School under the cooperative contract through Omnia Racine for an estimated amount of $113,655 utilizing funds from the Maintenance and Operations budget
• ContractwithPittmanWaller Roofing Co. LLC to repair roof at JCSS Central Office for estimated amount of $37,170 utilizing funds from the M&O budget The items presented were approved unanimously.
Burston then addressed the tentative approval of the draft budget for FY2026, which is necessary to move the process to adopt it forward. The first decision was the version of the draft budget to be approved.
The board agreed by consensus to move forward with the option including $1,000 supplements for certified employees and $1,000 grade level and step increases. The total of the budget presented was $71,739,395.
Board member Kim Washburn made the motion to accept the tentative budget, and it was approved unanimously.
Burston said the budget would be advertised in the newspaper and public hearings held prior to its adoption.
The meeting was adjourned to enter into closed session at 7:11 p.m. and returned at 7:46 p.m.
Board member Brady Skinner made a motion to accept the personnel actions discussed in closed session, and the motion was approved unanimously. A complete list of those actions can be found on the Board of Education website.
