Timeline of the Macon Promise Neighborhood program
Timeline of the Macon Promise Neighborhood program
While the action involving the Bibb County school system’s financial commitment to the Macon Promise Neighborhood initiative has been most intense over the last six months, some of the history goes back nearly four years. Here are some of the important dates:
• April-June 2009: The school system auctions off the old Ballard-Hudson Middle School building for $220,000 to Whitby Inc. The nonprofit Central Georgia Partnership for Individual and Community Development takes title.
• December 2011: A multiagency effort led by Mercer University is awarded a $500,000 Promise Neighborhood planning grant.
• June 27, 2012: The Bibb County school board agrees to commit up to $250,000 in resources per year from each of four schools for a period of 10 years -- a total of up to $10 million. The schools are Ingram-Pye Elementary, Hartley Elementary, Ballard-Hudson Middle and Southwest High.
• July 13: Central Georgia Partnership for Individual and Community Development sends a $1 million invoice to the school system, two weeks before the system signs a lease agreement with the nonprofit.
• July 20: Superintendent Romain Dallemand signs an agreement with dozens of other Macon Promise Neighborhood partners, committing $19.3 million in cash and in-kind contributions from the school district.
• Late July: Dallemand orders then-Chief Financial Officer Ron Collier to pay the $1 million bill. Collier balks, saying it’s unclear exactly what the money would be used for.
• July 27: Then-school board President Tommy Barnes signs the lease agreement. Also, the Promise Neighborhoods “implementation grant” application is due.
• Oct. 18: The Bibb school board signs an agreement with Central Georgia Partnership for Individual and Community Development to make certain that money is spent for “educational purposes.” The document refers to previous agreements and leases, but the board doesn’t review those documents. Collier approves the $1 million payment after the meeting.
• Dec. 10: Collier is placed on special assignment after district officials notify him that he is under investigation. He is soon moved to a room in the back of a warehouse.
• Dec. 20: Collier files a whistle-blower lawsuit. The school board removes him from the CFO post.
• Dec. 21: Macon learns that it did not get the Promise Neighborhoods implementation grant.
-- Andrea Castillo
