Hall BOE discusses budget challenges

GAINESVILLE - The Hall County Board of Education Monday night discussed the budget challenges the school system faces for the 2012 budget year.

They include a projected $19 million state austerity cut, a projected loss of $5 million in property tax revenue if there is no change in tax rates, and a projected increase of $1 million in energy costs.

Schofield said last week, "Crafting a budget with the loss of federal stimulus dollars and the cuts mentioned will be a daunting task, but we will do just that."

He also said at the time that in spite of earlier expectations, the Hall County School System will immediately and significantly scale back plans to create summer digital and media center opportunities for students. Also under review, according to Schofield, will be every position in the system that is not a regular classroom teacher.

"All expenditures, from cell phones to system vehicles will yet again be re-evaluated for absolute necessity. No new positions will be offered without the express consent of the personnel department and the superintendent," Schofield added.

"We will continue to explore every avenue that will allow us to meet the needs of our students in the most efficient and effective way possible," Schofield said at the time.

Also Monday night, the board approved the purchase of 20 LP gas buses.

"We believe these will be the first LP public school buses in the state," Supt. Will Schofield said. "Federal incentives and the downturn in LP prices would currently give the district a price of $1.17 per gallon."

In addition the board approved Flowery Branch High School's Letter of Intent to form the Flowery Branch Charter Leadership Academy and heard a report from the Center Point Staff on the mentoring program in the school system which shows that 210 mentors were trained this year and 448 students are currently being served by the program.