The district plans to build new schools that would replace the existing Cloverleaf and Emerson elementaries and Adairsville Middle. Slated to help pay for those facilities are $70 million in general obligation bonds -- $23 million of it would be qualified student instruction bonds, in which the district would bear no interest for using those funds, while the remaining $47 million would be general obligation bonds, which would have interest due. Board members are set to vote on resolutions authorizing the issuance of the two sets of bonds during a 6 p.m. called meeting.
Bartow County voters in July gave the green light for the district to issue that $70 million in general obligation debt to help acquire land for and construct its future facilities, make technology improvements, refurbish existing facilities and purchase school buses. The authorization was a part of the approved continuation of the local education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax, which will see the 1-cent tax continue to be levied for five more years starting in July 2012, with its proceeds going to the county school system and Cartersville City Schools.
Board Attorney Boyd Pettit during Monday's monthly work session said the called meeting is being held tonight since the pricing of the bonds will be done today on one of the better days of the week to sell bonds in the market.
Cloverleaf is expected to be the first facility built of the three planned replacement schools, and board members tonight also will consider approving a fiscal year 2012 Capital Outlay Application for the future school.
Superintendent John Harper said a fourth replacement school, a new Adairsville Elementary, likely would be the next site on the district's list. That project could receive some funding if dollars remain after building the three schools ahead of it.
Rick Little, director of Construction and Planning for Bartow County Schools, said Southern A&E of Austell has finished its architectural plans for Cloverleaf, and construction bids for the project are due Dec. 8, in time for board members to vote on a bidder later that month.
Board members at their business session next Monday will consider the second readings of amendments to four personnel policies and the first readings of changes to four other such policies. Of the four going through their second readings, one changed policy would amend job titles on the district's organizational chart while another also will update personnel titles in its language; the changes to all four are to better align the policies with state and federal laws and regulations.
Harper on Monday said the first readings of the other four policies are mostly minor changes to bring the codes up to date.
Board members during the business session are scheduled to go into closed session to discuss attorney-client matters, personnel and student discipline issues. Upon returning to open session, they are slated to vote on personnel recommendations and decide upon the appeal of a student discipline tribunal.
The board's monthly business session is set for Nov. 15 at 6 p.m. in the central office boardroom, which also will be the setting of today's 6 p.m. called meeting.