Oak Ridge Today

AC BOE revises budget proposal, 22-cent tax hike would be needed

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Information from WYSH Radio

The Anderson County Board of Education on Tuesday voted to approve a revised budget that, if approved as is, would require the equivalent of a 22-cent property tax increase.

The amended proposal adopted during a special-called meeting Tuesday still asks for 4 percent pay raises for school employees—who have not seen significant salary increases in the past six years—as well as $178,000 to pay for needed school roof repairs and state-mandated upgrades to physical education facilities and $178,000 to start a new program under which students would receive an electronic tablet.

The revised budget proposal includes several cuts to the original proposal, which would have necessitated the equivalent of a 56-cent tax increase. [Read more…]

Anderson County school board to discuss compromise on raises

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Information from WYSH Radio

The Anderson County Board of Education will meet in a special-called session at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday night (May 26) in the boardroom on the fifth floor of the Jolley Building in downtown Clinton.

The board is expected to discuss a compromise put forward by its Budget Committee to seek 2 percent raises for county teachers instead of the 4 percent raises they initially called for in budget negotiations. Funding just those raises at 4 percent would require the equivalent of a 23.5-cent property tax increase, which is highly unlikely to be approved by the Anderson County Commission.

Budget deliberations are continuing, and adjustments are still being made to the system’s proposal for the new fiscal year that begins July 1, including a reported $800,000 in cuts made last week by school officials.

Following this evening’s special-called meeting, BOE members are expected to meet with county commissioners to continue working on the fiscal blueprint for 2015-2016.

AC budget process under way

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Information from WYSH Radio

As the budget process begins in earnest for the new fiscal year that begins on July 1, the Anderson County school system is seeking money to pay for employee raises, upgrades to school facilities, and to start a fund to pay for computer devices for each student beginning in the upcoming academic year.

The budget proposal recently approved by the Anderson County Board of Education is currently about $3.1 million out of balance, and in order to fully fund requests, it would require the equivalent of a 45-cent increase in the property tax rate.  Included in the request to the County Commission is roughly $2 million to fund 4 percent pay raises for all employees; $871,852 for capital projects like roof repairs and unfunded mandates from the state dealing with physical education and sports facilities; and $221,484 for textbooks.

The most ambitious request, though, is the creation of a reserve fund through the county government to set aside money to pay for computer devices for students similar to the reserve fund that has been set aside for industrial development. [Read more…]

Letter: Sheriff vows to continue crime-fighting, make county safer place

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Paul White

Paul White

To the Editor:

Since I was first elected in 2006, the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department has implemented many changes and programs to better serve the citizens of Anderson County.

The Sheriff’s Department was reorganized to be more efficient and more effective. Emphasis has been placed on enforcement for the prevention, detection, and investigation of crimes. This reorganization has placed more deputies on patrol and investigating crimes, resulting in more arrests and crimes solved.

We have focused the efforts of the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department on drug enforcement and in reducing property crimes such as burglary and theft. These efforts have paid off as overall crime numbers have fallen and are continuing to decrease.

Crime prevention programs such as Neighborhood Watch were reinstated and a dedicated crime prevention officer works hand-in-hand with the community to help in reducing crime. [Read more…]

Steve Fritts seeks re-election to Anderson County School Board

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Steve Fritts

Steve Fritts

Steve Fritts is seeking re-election to the Anderson County School Board in District 7, which includes the Pine Valley, Glenwood, and Highland View precincts in Oak Ridge.

Fritts, who has lived in the district since his youth, was first elected in 2010, a press release said.

Fritts graduated from Oak Ridge High School in 1967, and he was an All-State football player, the release said. He graduated from Vanderbilt University with a bachelor’s degree in history. Fritts also served as captain of the Vanderbilt Commodore football team in the early ’70s.

Fritts worked as a carpenter until his retirement and was a member of Local 50. [Read more…]

Anderson County school officials revoke rejection of Oak Ridge Head Start application

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Anderson County Board of Education

Members of the Anderson County Board of Education pictured above are, from left, Steve Fritts and Scott Gillenwaters, Schools Director Larry Foster, Board Chair John Burrell, Vice Chair Greg Crawford, and member Dail Cantrell.

 

CLINTON—Anderson County school officials have revoked a decision that could have resulted in the loss of about $700,000 in funding for the Head Start program in Oak Ridge in the next school year.

The Anderson County Board of Education rejected Oak Ridge’s Head Start application on April 10 over concerns about the falsification of federal data, specifically reports on the motor skills of children.

But since then, officials from Anderson County and Oak Ridge schools have met and hammered out a 10-point plan that could be put into place for the 2014-2015 school year. The agreement would allow Oak Ridge to continue to receive funding for the city’s Head Start program through Anderson County.

The agreement between the two systems, which would have the city and county work together to hire a new preschool principal or director in Oak Ridge, was considered during a brief special meeting of the Anderson County Board of Education in Clinton on Tuesday. The board unanimously agreed to rescind their April 10 rejection and accept Oak Ridge’s proposal. [Read more…]

Anderson schools could rescind rejection of Oak Ridge Head Start application

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Oak Ridge Schools Administration Building

The Oak Ridge School Administration Building, which houses the Head Start and Preschool program, is pictured above.

Note: This story was updated at 4:50 p.m.

They rejected a Head Start application from Oak Ridge a few weeks ago, but Anderson County school officials could rescind it during a special meeting on Tuesday.

Officials from the two school systems have met and developed a 10-point plan that could be put into place for the 2014-2015 school year. The agreement would allow Oak Ridge to continue to receive funding for the city’s Head Start program through Anderson County, said Keys Fillauer, chair of the Oak Ridge Board of Education.

The agreement will be considered by the county school board during Tuesday’s meeting.

On April 10, the Anderson County Board of Education rejected Oak Ridge’s Head Start application over concerns about the falsification of federal data, specifically reports on the motor skills of children. [Read more…]

Anderson Schools rejects Oak Ridge Head Start application over false federal data

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Larry Foster

Larry Foster

Note: This story was last updated at 8:35 p.m.

Anderson County Schools director optimistic that resolution will be reached

By John Huotari and Sara Wise

They had concerns about the alleged falsification of federal documents that contained data on motor skills of children, so Anderson County school officials rejected Oak Ridge’s application for Head Start funding in the 2014-2015 school year.

The decision could affect roughly $700,000 in funding, or enough to cover about 118 students in the Oak Ridge Head Start program, a federal entitlement program for low-income children. Anderson County Schools supervises the local Head Start program.

But Anderson County Schools Director Larry Foster said the county school board’s unanimous April 10 decision could be rescinded based upon collaboration between the two school systems. Representatives of the two systems have already had discussions, and school board chairs are expected to discuss what can be done to resolve funding for next year.

“Hopefully, this can be resolved,” Foster said during a brief break in a Monday morning Anderson County Commission meeting in Clinton. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge resident Don Bell running for Anderson school board

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Don Bell

Don Bell

Oak Ridge resident Don A. Bell is running for the District 7 seat on the Anderson County Board of Education. District 7 includes Highland View, Glenwood, and Pine Valley in Oak Ridge.

Bell is a longtime Oak Ridger and a 1974 graduate of Oak Ridge High School, the candidate said in a press release. He retired from the Oak Ridge school system in 2013. He had worked in the maintenance and operations division at Glenwood Elementary School.

Bell served on the board of directors of Oak Ridge Schools Federal Cedit Union for seven years and as vice chairman for three years. He also served on the Superintendent’s Search Committee to appoint the principal for Glenwood Elementary and was on the supervisory committee of the Tennessee Members First Federal Credit Union.

In the press release, Bell said he looks forward to meeting his constituents and hopes to use his experience to serve the Anderson County school system.

AC school board gives director new contract, raise

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Information from WYSH Radio

On Thursday, the Anderson County School Board voted to award Director of Schools Larry Foster a new contract that runs through June 30, 2017. Foster has indicated he would like to retire at the end of the new contract.

The new deal raises his annual salary to $128,000, increases his number of vacation days to 20, and provides up to $4,000 a year for school-related travel expenses, up to $1,000 a year for continuing training, and up to $3,500 a year to cover the dues in professional organizations and subscriptions to academic publications.

Foster has been director of schools since 2009.

Anderson school board to consider director’s contract

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The Anderson County Board of Education will consider the employment contract for the schools director during a March 13 meeting.

During the meeting, the board could extend, renew, or terminate the contract with Director of Schools Larry Foster, a press release said.

The Anderson County School system serves about 6,600 students in nine elementary schools, four middle schools, two high schools, a career and technical center, a K-12 alternative school and a pre-school/Headstart program. The school system also provides an adult education program. [Read more…]

Anderson County school board honors high school staffers who saved girl

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Information from WYSH Radio

During Tuesday’s Anderson County Board of Education meeting, a group of teachers, principals, and other staff members were honored for saving a student’s life.

Last month, Brittany Overton went into cardiac arrest in the school courtyard before classes began. On Tuesday, leaders honored the crew of teachers, principals, and staff members that helped bring her back to health. Overton attended the School Board meeting. [Read more…]