Bibb County Board of Education approves budget, votes down three new positions

The Bibb County Board of Education approved the budget Wednesday night for the upcoming fiscal year, which includes a 3% salary increase but failed to support an amendment to add three new positions.

The proposed budget passed 7-1 and the motion to amend failed in a split vote.

Superintendent Dan Sims emphasized the importance of the three positions proposed in the amendment, which included a truancy specialist, K-5 ELA school improvement coordinator and an executive director of elementary services. He pleaded with board members to approve the amendment, arguing that the positions would help raise literacy rates and combat chronic absenteeism.

“I definitely understand all the concerns from a budgetary standpoint, which is why we came with savings. But I also understand the imperative for us being here for our children and for our community, and doing things directly in the face of what we see as our challenges, two being literacy and truancy,” Sims said.

The savings Sims refers to is around $1 million that he shaved from his original proposed budget that included the positions and had a $22 million deficit.

Board members questioned the fiscal sustainability in Sims recommended plan with the added positions, even after Sims claimed he had an agreement with Mayor Lester Miller about three years worth of funds to cover the truancy specialist position. He encouraged them to at least approve that position.

Board member Henry Ficklin raised concerns about the validity of the agreement and how the money would be received, and raised questions about whether or not the commission would support those funds being allocated. To which board member James Freeman argued the budget is based on mainly anticipated funds that have not yet been received.

Without factoring in the benefits, the salaries of all three positions alone were projected to raise the proposed fiscal budget by over $168,000.

Board member Daryl Morton cautioned the board to think about the future and the debt they would accrue taking on this amendment.

“It’s sort of like getting your paycheck at the beginning of the month, spending it on something you want, and then at the end of the month, my gosh, I can’t pay my rent. You’ve got to really think ahead,” Morton said.

As the one who proposed the motion to amend the tentative proposed budget, board member James Freeman expressed his frustrations.

“I have a hard time understanding the line in the sand at these positions right here, the truancy specialist and the K-5 ELA director, because when your budget is tight,” Freeman said, “what you do is you focus on your priorities.”

Board member Myrtice Johnson backed Freeman and Superintendent Sims, citing how essential it is to prioritize the students best interest. Literacy rates and fighting chronic absenteeism should be the priority in deciding this year’s fiscal budget according to Johnson.

“We truly stand on what is best for the needs of our students who are right here and the field, county, school district. That’s why we are on the board. We are here to do what is best for our students and then school system, and I feel like it is best to try to keep them in school and try to make sure that their literacy is up to par,” Johnson said.

The Bibb County Board of Education will now move on to implement the policies within the approved fiscal budget that emphasizes increasing teacher salaries to remain competitive with neighboring districts.

This story was originally published June 18, 2025 at 11:36 PM.