Houston County school board members address ESPLOST, state issues

PERRY -- Houston County school board members got a chance to speak their minds during Tuesday's board meeting about issues facing the county's schools and educators.

The county has a 1-cent sales tax vote coming up in March, the proceeds of which would help fund school projects. Further, the pay and benefits structure for teachers has come under scrutiny amid suggestions at the state level that it be changed.

"It seems to me that what we have done in my career was effective," said board member Rick Unruh, a retired teacher. "Those regular increases made a difference. It is what kept me in."

The current teacher pay scale calls for annual salary increases for each year of service and degree obtained. Under a proposal by Gov. Nathan Deal, that process would change to a system based more on merit pay, in which teachers would earn raises for student achievement and other factors.

One reason cited for the effort is to keep teachers invested and motivated to succeed, but Unruh suggested that it could have the opposite effect.

"I don't think changing that formula is going to make much difference on the effort," he said.

Fellow board member Hoke Morrow, whose wife, Tammy, is a teacher, said the proposed changes were a "big deal" for the county's educators that shouldn't go unnoticed.

"I think we should stand up and speak out to our legislators," he said.

The sales tax vote was also a topic for discussion. Superintendent Mark Scott has begun the process of discussing the potential projects affected by the vote with teachers and other community members and said he's seen support.

"It's been, I think, very positive," he said.

The projects the district hopes to fund through the tax range from a new elementary school to security and fire alarm upgrades. Those initiatives will benefit Houston County as a whole, board member Helen Hughes said.

"What helps our school system helps our community," she said.

Hughes was elected vice chairwoman of the school board for the 2016 calendar year, while Fred Wilson was elected chairman.

The board also unanimously passed attendance zone changes that will reduce the number of students at Bonaire and Thomson middle schools.

Scott said the Bonaire region of the county, including the area surrounding Veterans High School, is expected to continue to increase its population.

"Long range, that area is growing," he said.

The district received a rebate check for more than $36,000 from Georgia Power for energy-saving efforts in the renovation of Houston County High School.

The board will next meet for its work session on Feb. 8 at 6 p.m. at Feagin Mill Middle School, followed by its regular meeting at the board office in Perry on Feb. 9 at 1 p.m.

To contact writer Jeremy Timmerman, call 744-4331 or find him on Twitter@MTJTimm.

This story was originally published January 12, 2016 at 5:14 PM with the headline "Houston County school board members address ESPLOST, state issues ."