(UPDATED) School Board Seeks County Funding for Teacher and Staff Pay Raises (VIEW VIDEOS HERE)

May 3, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

The Board of Education wants to give teachers and other certified personnel a $2,000 pay raise and is asking the county commission for sufficient funding to help make it happen.

During a brief special called meeting Friday morning, the Board approved a proposed budget for the 2019-20 fiscal year which includes pay raises for teachers and support staff.

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IMG_5803 from dwayne page on Vimeo.

If approved, the actual local increase for the 225 teachers would be $1,200 each since the state is funding an $800 raise per teacher. The 200 non-certified staff members would get a $600 pay raise, all funded by local dollars.

The Board of Education plans to purchase Chrome Books for the 3rd through 5th grades for the new school year. Students from the 6th grade through high school already have Chrome Books. One new bus is usually purchased each year. The board plans to buy two buses next year along with a new work truck for the maintenance department. The total cost of the buses would be around $220,000. No new money would be needed to fund the extra bus, the work truck, or the Chrome Books. Sufficient funds can be shifted within the line items of the school budget to pay for them.

A total of $50,000 has been budgeted as incentive pay for teachers. According to Director Patrick Cripps, the money would be distributed as a bonus or reward money among deserving educators for going above and beyond their duties, such as writing grants, etc.

The proposed 2019-20 school budget comes to $24,235,000 including an expected increase in state BEP funding of almost $600,000.

The county commission’s budget committee will get its first look at the proposed spending plan for schools when it meets Wednesday night, May 8 at 5:00 p.m. at the courthouse.

May 3, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

A DeKalb County Neighbors Helping Neighbors Blood Assurance Drive will be Monday, May 13 from 1 p.m. until 6 p.m. at the County Complex Senior Citizens Center inside the Bloodmobile.

All donors will be given a FREE “Never Stop Saving Lives” t-shirt. All donors will also be entered for a chance to win a $250 gift card to REI.

To schedule an appointment, go to Bloodassurance.org/dekalb or contact Jimmy Poss at 615-464-7426 or jmposs72@yahoo.com.

Please remember to EAT A GOOD MEAL and drink additional water and bring a photo ID.

Blood Assurance is the SOLE blood provider for our local hospitals

May 2, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

A Dowelltown man has been charged with the rape and incest of a 13 year old girl.

66 year old William Kenneth Phillips of Wendy Cut Street, Dowelltown is under a $150,000 bond and his next court date is May 9.

Sheriff Patrick Ray said that Phillips admitted to having had sexual contact with the child four or five times from March 1 through May 31, 2018.

The case was investigated by sheriff’s department detectives.

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