Lumpkin Board of Education recognizes outstanding student achievements
Board of Education, Indians Corner August 11, 2021
Lumpkin, Ga.- The Board of Education recognized the achievements of Jake Barrett and Cooper McDonald for finishing seventh in the High School Fishing National Championship.
Jake Barret and Cooper McDonald competed this summer in both the national and world High School Fishing Championship. Barret is currently an eighth-grader and McDonald is now a senior.
The boys fished six consecutive weekends at Lake Hartwell and Lanier to qualify for Nationals after finishing fifth in State. Nationals were also held at Lake Hartwell for three days. The Sunday after they fished with the top 30 that had moved on the world.
“This is an awesome opportunity to congratulate these two young men on a great accomplishment,” explained Athletic Director Mike Powell.
In addition, the board recognized Jacob Tinsley, Brad Head, and Greg Trammell for their hard work for the school system, they received the Ideal Indian Award. There was one more recognition at the meeting, Superintendent Dr. Rob Brown. He has become the President of The Georgia School Superintendent Assissocation.
Jacob Tinsley the Maintenance Director, Brad Head a member of the maintenance crew, and Greg Trammell Chief Operations Officer were recognized and awarded the Ideal Indian Award for their hard work this summer in completing several projects. These projects include the new playground equipment at Blackburn and Longbranch, new furniture and lighting at Longbranch, a new parking lot and sewer line at Longbranch, the new roof and HVAC system at the High School, and the new Pole Barn at the High School.
Greg Trammell (left), Jacob Tinsely, Brad Head, and Dr. Rob Brown (right)
Trammell is also in charge and overseeing the new elementary school that is being built. His work on the school has given him the opportunity to foster better relationships with the Board of Commissioners.
“Mr. Trammell we appreciate you and all you do to lead operations in our district,” commented Superintendent Dr. Rob Brown.
Superintendent Dr. Brown was also recognized at the meeting. Brown has been voted the President of the Georgia Schools Superintendent Association for the 2021/2022 school year.
This means that he is the head superintendent for the state overseeing 187 superintendents from all across the state. For more information about the GSSA visit https://www.gssaweb.org/
His fellow superintendents showed their support by writing words of congratulations to him. It was printed off, framed, and presented to him along with a bell by Assistant Superintendent Sharon Head.
“He is the head of the organization this year which is quite an honor from around the state and we are very proud of him for that,” stated Head.
Dr. Rob Brown receiving his recognition from Board
Budget and Millage Rate
The board also voted to approve the CTAE Grants, the last FY21 amended budget, surplus furniture, and employee recommendations. Chief Financial Officer Shannon Christian presented the board with two possible options for the millage rate, this will be voted on at a Special Call Meeting on August 23, at 6:00 p.m.
The board approved the new CTAE Grants. The grants are federal and state grants received each year. Federal $51,839, state $55,160 and additional $19,433 in AG Ed state grants this year.
Next for approval was the FY21 amended budget. The expenditures did not change they have been moved around and the CARES Act 2 numbers were changed to reflect what was actually used of the grant.
The FY21 Amended Budget changes are in green.
The old furniture from Longbranch was approved as surplus furniture. The furniture can now be sold at auction.
The final thing the board approved of was employee recommendations. The new employees include Rhonda Ervin Counselor for the High School, Courtney Greene Paraprofessional at Blackburn, Richard Harris Bus Driver, and Jack Lowry, Anna Isaacs, Claire Stephens, Tyler Payne, and Karen Harris student workers.
The staff that is retiring and resigning are all bus drivers Freddy Lingerfelt, Jamon Tipton, and Robert Bryant. There is also one transfer Marilyn Pippin transferring paraprofessional from Blackburn to Longbranch.
Option 1 for the millage rate.
Shanon Christian also presented the board with two possible options for the millage rate this year. Option one presents no increase to taxpayers. It would be a 15.56 mills rate.
Option two would be to keep the rate current at 16.176 mills. This option would have a tax increase of $742,745 for the taxpayers. There will be a special call meeting on August 23 at 6:00 p.m. for the board to vote on the rate.
“I think with the option since we have CARES Act money available I think option one seems like a better alternative, go head and rollback offering the savings to the community,” stated Board Member Craig Poore.
Departments’ 2020 budgets didn’t reflect CARES Act reimbursements
Board of Commissioners, News February 15, 2021
BLUE RIDGE, Ga: Several county departments never received their CARES Act reimbursement funds in 2020 despite the county having the money.
Chairman Jamie Hensley addressed the matter during the February 9, 2021 meeting, stating that at least one department was showing over by 175 percent.
“Unbeknownst to the commissioners, I can honestly say that they really didn’t know. This is something that we just found out,” Hensley said.
These departments spent funds from their capital outlay budgets to safely maintain operations during the COVID-19 pandemic. The state gave Fannin CARES Act funds specifically for coronavirus-related improvements. T
The departments’ financials weren’t changed to reflect the addition of the CARES Act. The money went into the general fund account. Board of Commissioners needed to move a line item to demonstrate that these departments weren’t grossly overbudget.
“We’re not actually putting money back into their budget. It’s all in one pot like in the general fund. It’s just going to be a reflection of the actual budget line-item number,” County Clerk and Interim CFO Sherri Walker explained.
Outgoing Chairman Stan Helton and resigned Chief Financial Officer Robin Gazaway never met with Hensley before he assumed office. The CFO resigned before he took office. As a result, no one explained the reasoning for leaving the money in the general fund and not updating departments’ budgets.
Fannin Board of Commissioners also discussed Whitepath.
Hensley asked the department heads for all their receipts to accurately adjust, monitor, and reimburse their COVID-19 expenses. Presently, at least five departments need their budgets to be made whole from 2020.
Post One Earl Johnson wanted to know why the CARES Act reimbursement money sat in the general fund.
“We applied for that to receive COVID funding to do all those things. All we’re doing is using the money for what it was intended for, not to beef up the general fund account. I have no idea why or how it happened,” Post One Earl Johnson stated, “I think all of these budgets, in my opinion, need to be made whole for expenditures that were caused by COVID because we got federal funds to do so.”
Post Two Glenn Patterson echoed that sentiment.
To prevent a similar situation from happening in the future, Hensley suggested setting up a separate account for such funds as the CARES Act. With an established account, the county can know the exact amount remaining or if a department needs reimbursement.
County Attorney Lynn Doss added that legally Fannin needs a file that documents all COVID-19 expenses in case of a future audit.
The board agreed to get all the receipts together before making a motion to approve moving the money.
They’re in the process of interviewing for a new CFO and human resources person.