Dougherty County School Board moves to fill vacant board seat
The school system is seeking time to implement a plan to move Sylvandale students to another facility
Dougherty County School Board members Melissa Strother and Milton “June Bug” Griffin share a laugh prior to the start of Monday night’s school board meeting. (Staff Photo: Terry Lewis)
By Terry Lewis
ALBANY — The Dougherty County School Board took a step toward filling a board vacancy during its meeting Monday night, voting unanimously ask to Gov. Nathan Deal to place School Board member-elect Geraldine Hudley into Lee Price’s vacant at-large seat.
Hudley won the seat during the May primary and is scheduled to assume office in January. The board, however, would like to install her into that seat five months early, and bringing the board back to a full complement of seven voting members.
If appointed, Hudley would be sworn in to serve the remainder of Price’s term, which expires in December. She then would be sworn in in January for her four-year term.
During the board’s prebriefing, Dougherty School System Finance Director Ken Dyer, acting in Superintendent Butch Mosely’s stead, informed the board about the status of Oak Tree Center at the Sylvandale Complex and laid out the system’s plan to deal with the building, where 305 students are assigned.
The system’s plan centers on the vacant Magnolia Elementary School. In 2013, the system moved Magnolia’s students to Alice Coachman and M.L. King elementary schools and the school was intended to serve as a replacement for the Sylvandale complex.
The plan was to place the county’s GNETS, pre-K and gifted programs at Magnolia. Those reassignments have not been made because while there has been some preliminary planning work, no renovations have been made to the building.
“What we have asked the state to do is allow us time to make the necessary maintenance and cosmetic work at Sylvandale,” Dyer said. “And wait for our E-SPLOST to pass in November.”
If the E-SPLOST vote passes, the school system would fast-track the bid process for Magnolia’s renovations immediately after the vote and expedite work with a goal of having Magnolia ready for students in August 2017 when the 2017-18 school year begins.
DCSS officials are hoping the U.S. Department of Justice and Georgia Board of Education will allow them the additional time needed and that the E-SPLOST referendum will pass the voters muster in November.
Dyer said he believes the system will hear something from the state this week.
In action items, all voted on by consent agenda, the board approved the sale of surplus building portables and approved a $41,835 contract for asphalt improvements at Monroe High School’s driving range.
The next board meeting is set for 11:30 a.m. Aug. 24.
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