NOTICE OF DEKALB BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETINGS ~
The DeKalb Board of Education will hold the following meetings on Monday, May 5, 2014:
2:00pm Work Session & Executive Session for a personnel matter & student appeal
Cabinet Room
Robert R. Freeman Administrative & Instructional Complex
1701 Mountain Industrial Boulevard
Stone Mountain, GA 30083
5:45pm Public Budget Hearing & Community Input Session
J. David Williamson Board Room
7:00pm Business Meeting (corrected)
J. David Williamson Board Room
Meeting information can be accessed online by going to: www.dekalb.k12.ga.us, click on Leadership, go to eBoard Home Page and click on the date for the meeting agenda\information.
Sincerely,
Dr. Melvin Johnson, Chair
DeKalb Board of Education
BUSINESS MEETING AGENDA:
1. Approval of Minutes
Presented by: Mr. Michael L. Thurmond, Superintendent
2. Approval of Monthly Financial Report
Presented by: Dr. Michael J. Bell, Chief Financial Officer, Division of Finance
3. Resolution for Proposed Tax Levy/Declare Intent to Set Millage Rate Higher than the Rollback Rate
Presented by: Dr. Michael J. Bell, Chief Financial Officer. Division of Finance
4. Approval of Monthly Human Resources Report
Presented by: Dr. Tekshia M. Ward-Smith, Chief Human Resources Officer, Division of Human Resources
5. Approval of Contract Recommendations for FY 2014-2015
Presented by: Dr. Tekshia M. Ward-Smith, Chief Human Resources Officer, Division of Human Resources
6. Purchase of Summer Reading Resources for the Title I K-5 Summer Reading Program
Presented by: Dr. Morcease J. Beasley, Executive Director, Curriculum, Instruction, Professional Learning and the Office of Federal Programs
7. Memorandum of Understanding Between Sheltering Arms at International Village and DeKalb County School District For Extended School Year (ESY) Services
Presented by: Dr. Kathleen S. Howe, Deputy Superintendent, Division of Curriculum & Instruction
8. AGLN Annual Maintenance Renewal (Fiber)
Presented by: Mr. Gary L. Brantley, Chief Information Officer, Division of Information Technology
9. District-Wide Telecommunications Services
Presented by: Mr. Gary L. Brantley, Chief Information Officer, Division of Information Technology
10. SPLOST III Project: ADA Modifications for Group A-3: Margaret Harris Center, Rockbridge ES, Stone Mountain ES, and Stone Mountain HS and for Group B-3: Midway ES, Oak View ES, and Rainbow ES
Presented by: Mr. Stephen M. Wilkins, Chief Operations Officer, Division of Operations
11. SPLOST III PROJECT: Chamblee Charter High School Replacement – Approval of Change Order No. 8
Presented by: Mr. Stephen M. Wilkins, Chief Operations Officer, Division of Operations
12. SPLOST IV Project: Subregion 1A: Sequoyah MS, Vanderlyn ES, Woodward ES, Doraville Driver’s ED, International Student Center, Kittredge ES – Capital Renewal, ADA, Code Requirements
Presented by: Mr. Stephen M. Wilkins, Chief Operations Officer, Division of Operations
13. SPLOST IV Project: Subregion 3A: Eldridge Miller ES, Jolly ES, Freedom MS, Rock Chapel ES, Stephenson HS, and Shadow Rock ES – Capital Renewal, ADA, Code Requirements
Presented by: Mr. Stephen M. Wilkins, Chief Operations Officer, Division of Operations
14. SPLOST IV Project: Stone Mountain High School Capital Renewal, ADA, Code Requirements A/E Design Firm Approval
Presented by: Mr. Stephen M. Wilkins, Chief Operations Officer, Division of Operations
15. SPLOST IV Project: Towers High School Roof Replacement Design/Build Contract Award
Presented by: Mr. Stephen M. Wilkins, Chief Operations Officer, Division of Operations
16. Extension of Bid No. 12-15 Frozen/Temperature Control and Dry Food Products
Presented by: Mr. Stephen M. Wilkins, Chief Operations Officer, Division of Operations
17. Continued use of Statewide Contract (SWC) #9999-SPD0000091-0002 Earthgrains Baking Company for Purchase of Bread
Presented by: Mr. Stephen M. Wilkins, Chief Operations Officer, Division of Operations
18. DeKalb County Parks and Recreation Intergovernmental Agreement
Presented by: Mr. Stephen M. Wilkins, Chief Operations Officer, Division of Operations
19. Request for Declaration of Surplus Property
Presented by: Mr. Stephen M. Wilkins, Chief Operations Officer, Division of Operations
20. District-wide Auction Services
Presented by: Mr. Stephen M. Wilkins, Chief Operations Officer, Division of Operations
21. Dunwoody High School Parent, Teacher & Student Organization Donation Approval
Presented by: Mr. Stephen M. Wilkins, Chief Operations Officer, Division of Operations
D. ACTION ITEM
1. READY FOR ACTION ~ Amendment to the Bylaws & Policies: Descriptor Code JBCC Student Assignment
Presented by: Mr. Marshall D. Orson, Board Representative, District #2
E. OTHER\BOARD COMMENTS (2 minutes each)
F. ANNOUNCEMENTS
1. Teacher’s Appreciation Week, Monday, May 5 – 9, 2014
2. 2014 Valedictorian & Salutatorian Recognition Program, 6:30pm, Thursday, May 8, 2014, Auditorium, Robert R. Freeman Administrative & Instructional Complex, 1701 Mountain Industrial Boulevard, Stone Mountain
3. District-wide Administrator’s Meeting, 9:30am, Tuesday, May 13, 2014, Auditorium, Robert R. Freeman Administrative & Instructional Complex, 1701 Mountain Industrial Boulevard, Stone Mountain
4. Schools & Administrative Offices Closed ~ Memorial Day Holiday, Monday, May 26, 2014
5. Mandatory Teacher Work Day & Staff Development Day for 10 & 11 Month Employees, Wednesday, May 28 & Thursday, May 29, 2014
6. Mandatory Work Reduction Day for 10 & 11 Month Employees, Thursday, May 29, Friday, May 30 & Monday, June 2, 2014
7. DeKalb Board of Education Work Session (2pm), Community Input Session (5:45pm) and Business Meeting (7pm), Monday, June 2, 2014, Cabinet Room & J. David Williamson Board Room, Robert R. Freeman Administrative & Instructional Complex, 1701 Mountain Industrial Boulevard, Stone Mountain
dekalb school watch two 
Can someone comment on this agenda item? Does this mean they are looking to raise taxes again?????
“Resolution for Proposed Tax Levy/Declare Intent to Set Millage Rate Higher than the Rollback Rate”
The millage rate is the same. They are not raising it.
They do not need to raise the millage rate. Tax digest will be higher. It will be a huge tax raise to keep it the same millage rate. All that good news for real estate prices will be good news for county and school tax collections. They know this now but want to spend the money on pet projects and not teachers.
jusstop, I wondered the same thing, but from what I can tell, they’re voting to keep the school millage rate at 23.98. By the way, I verified with the Georgia Department of Revenue that DeKalb County has the highest school millage rate in the state. Muscogee County comes close at 23.37 .
Below is the actual text about the millage rate from Eboard online. Go to this link to see the agenda online and click on agenda items to see associated documents >> https://eboard.eboardsolutions.com/Meetings/ViewMeetingOrder.aspx?S=4054&MID=37358
Rationale
The local property tax revenue to be generated is needed to fund the approved FY 2015 General Operations Budget. This action is required to provide compliance with all Georgia Laws prior to setting the final millage rate for the Fiscal Year 2014-2015 at the Board Meeting on Tuesday, July 1, 2014.
Quick Summary / Abstract
Presented by: Dr. Michael J. Bell, Chief Financial Officer. Division of Finance
Details
WHEREAS, the DeKalb County Board of Education is required by law to make annually a recommendation of the millage rate to be levied.
BE IT, THEREFORE, RESOLVED, that the DeKalb County Board of Education does hereby recommend the tax levy for the support and maintenance of education as follows:
Twenty-three and ninety eight hundredths (23.98) mills on all taxable property located in the DeKalb County School District for the support and maintenance of education in said DeKalb County School District.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a certified copy of this resolution be forwarded to the Tax Commissioner of said County, with the request that the levy of taxes for the Fiscal Year 2014-2015 shall include the tax herein recommended and that all sums derived therefrom be paid to the DeKalb County Board of Education.
Contacts
Dr. Michael J. Bell, Chief Financial Officer, Division of Finance, 678.676.0133
Requested Action
It is requested that the Board of Education approve the Proposed Tax Levy Resolution setting the millage rate at 23.98 mills for Maintenance and Operations for the Fiscal Year 2014-2015, and declare its intent to adopt a millage rate above the Rollback Rate.
Status
Attorney Approval Not Required
Here is a link to the rules regarding property taxes in Georgia >> https://etax.dor.ga.gov/ptd/adm/taxguide/gen/rate.aspx
Your property should only be taxed based on 40% of its fair market value. (If your house is worth $100,000, the taxes you pay should be based on an assessed value of $40,000.) In my case, my assessed value is set far too high. If yours is, you can file a dispute.
Additionally, in reality, they are in essence, increasing your taxes by not decreasing the millage rate to accommodate for the increases in value (called the ‘rollback’ rate), which it what the verbiage about “intent to adopt a millage rate above the rollback rate” that taxpayers are entitled to according to the Taxpayer Bill of Rights adopted in 1999:
https://etax.dor.ga.gov/ptd/adm/taxguide/rights.aspx
Senate Bill 177, Act 431 was signed April 30, 1999 and became effective January 1, 2000. The bill has two main thrusts:
• prevention of indirect tax increases resulting from increases to existing property values in a county due to inflation,
• and enhancement of an individual property owner’s rights when objecting to and appealing an increase made by a county board of tax assessors to the value of the owner’s property.
Rules for Rollback of Millage Rate When Digest Value Increased by Reassessments
The Revenue Commissioner developed rules and regulations to implement the terms and provisions of O.C.G.A. 48-5-32.1.
Prevention of Indirect Tax Increases
Each year there are two types of value increases made to a county tax digest, increases due to inflation, and increases due to new or improved properties. There are no additional requirements if the levying authority rolls back the millage rate each year to offset any inflationary increases in the digest. If it does not, a local levying authority must notify the public that taxes are being increased.
Local levying authorities would include the county governing authorities, school boards and municipal governing authorities.
The Revenue Commissioner will not authorize the collection of taxes on any digest without a showing by the official submitting the digest that the local levying authorities have complied with the law.
• Rollback of Millage Rate to Offset Inflationary Increases
When the total digest of taxable property is prepared, Georgia Law requires that a rollback millage rate must be computed that will produce the same total revenue on the current year’s new digest that last year’s millage rate would have produced had no reassessments occurred.
If the county elects to set their millage rate higher than the rollback rate, they will be required to hold three public hearings, place notices of the increase in the paper and issue press releases.
[Watch this. We are being misled when told that they are not ‘raising the tax rate’. They are making it seem as if they are not increasing taxes, but according to the taxpayer bill of rights, they are, as they should have lowered the millage rate when the property values went up. When the rate was increased, under Atkinson’s leadership to make up for the decrease in property values, we predicted that this would never go back down when property values went back up. Looks like we were right.]
Read about the board decision to raise the tax rate over the objections of 4 board members on Don McChesney’s blog >>
Millage rates – Last year DeKalb increased its millage rate from 22.98 to 23.98 over the objections of four board members. That puts the county 1.02mills from its limit. Our rate is one of the highest in the state.
http://www.donfordekalb.com/2013/04/29/222/
Teachers just got an email announcing a full calendar and a 1% COLA…. With no unions allowed and the lame “we only defend you” professional organizations representing the teachers, perhaps, just perhaps — our insistent, rational advocacy here at DSW2 blog made some difference. Bravo!
Wow! Fantastic!!
Ty posted an article this morning (9:57 AM), before the board meeting began: “DeKalb schools see reversal of fortunes” (http://www.ajc.com/news/news/local-education/dekalb-school-board-to-discuss-budget-and-taxes/nfpcH/)
Sounds like someone has a Messiah Complex: “There will be no more teacher furlough days in DeKalb County,” Thurmond said, calling the turnaround “almost to some extent miraculous.”
Has anyone seen an actual copy of the budget?
Not to look a gift horse (bowing to pressure) in the mouth but….I have not had a step increase in 7 years. 1% of my low salary is not enough. The AJC says it’s an across the board raise? 1% of Ramona Tyson’s salary is not an insignificant sum.
The first thought that came to my mind is that the governor gave enough money to each school system to do away with furlough days next year.
The governor said in a meeting I attended to hear him speak that this would be a raise to teachers. However, in DeKalb they have not got any form of a raise in 7 years. The 1% COL increase is a baby step. All the school systems in the metro are getting raises this year and many like Fulton have not had furlough days. In fact all teachers got a $1,000.00 bonus last school year. Other employees got a $500.00 bonus.
We have got to put the classroom first when creating a budget. Putting the classroom first is being competitive with salaries in the metro area to attract the best teachers. Teachers will drive for better salaries as their retirement is based on the top two years of their salaries.
This is a return to the base line plus something extra, so I am really pleased.
I just think Mr Thurmond saw political and institutional advantages to stepping up a smidge, for teachers, against those %&#@$, who were willing to hold another year BELOW the baseline!
I think this was a strategic move to preserve some key BOE members running for re-election. If they had wanted to do this for the teachers, they would have announced it earlier around contract signing time to retain the ones who are leaving for greener pastures in neighboring counties.
Brookhaven Post – “Thurmond presents proposed FY2015 Budget to DeKalb BOE”: http://brookhavenpost.co/thurmond-presents-proposed-fy2015-budget-dekalb-boe/16279
Dunwoody Crier – “Good news proposed for DeKalb schools”: http://www.thecrier.net/news/article_909be3f0-d4b8-11e3-91ea-001a4bcf887a.html
Here’s the REAL STORY: Dekalb Teachers have gone SEVEN YEARS WITHOUT a Step Increase:
2008-2009, No Step
2009-2010, No Step
2010-2011, No Step
2011-2012, No Step
2012-2013, No Step
2013-2014, No Step
2014-2015, No Step
That is per the Microsoft Word document posted at the “History of Step Increases” link (http://www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/www/documents/human-resources/compensation-and-classification/salary-increase-history.pdf)
And as a reminder of exactly what you are getting from your Organization of DeKalb Educators (ODE) dues, here is a November 2008 CrossRoads News article, in which David Schutten claimed that cutting Step Increases violated state law:
http://crossroadsnews.com/news/2008/nov/12/educators-mull-suit-over-loss-of-step-increases/
@dsw2contributor: So, did Schutten ever sue the school system? Did he fight for teachers?
Sorry, I was being sarcastic.
I’m not an ODE member, but as far as I know, ODE did NOT take legal action against school board and the school system.
Perhaps Schutten found that there was some loophole that actually didn’t make it illegal. That sound so much more plausible to me.
I’ve lost count..how many furlough days do 10,11 and 12 month employees have?
Any mention of this by anyone on the board? >>
DeKalb schools below state CCRPI, Decatur above
For those in District 3, click this link for the bios on the candidates for school board in your district >>
http://www.decaturish.com/2014/05/candidates-dekalb-county-boe/