Matthews honored by Georgia Department of Agriculture
Bridgette Matthews (center), School Nutrition Specialist for the Elbert County Board of Education, received a commendation of excellence from the Georgia Department of Agriculture at the board’s meeting Monday night. The special commendation, presented by the Georgia Department of Education’s Misty Friedman (right), resulted from Matthews’ promotion of the state’s ‘Shake It Up,” program, which promotes Georgia’s farm to school program. Also shown are Matthews’ husband, David (back) and sons Palmer (left) and Harrison. (Photo by Jones)
The Elbert County school board approved a $30,477,073 fiscal year 2019-2020 general fund budget Monday night after a budget process that began when Georgia Governor Brian Kemp proposed a state budget back in January.
“The budget development process for the 2019-2020 school year was set into motion over six months ago, even before the governor proposed his state budget,” Elbert County School Superintendent Chuck Bell said at the board meeting.
Bell said after the school system updated student enrollment projections and staff allocations and reviewed budget requests, it generated a proposed budget to give to the board.
After two budget hearings in May and a third meeting earlier this month, Bell recommended the board pass the budget, which it did unanimously.
“We had a big increase in federal and state funds that went toward $1.4 million in pay increases for certified staff,” said School Board Chairman Ben Baker. “There were no increases in the local budget that would have an impact on property taxes.”
The budget will allow the school system to hold its millage rate at the BOE’s previous year level.
The school system will generate $8,546,095 from local property taxes in the 2019-2020 budget, according to figures released by the school system.
The $30 million budget doesn’t include another $8 million the school system will receive in state and federal programs, according to Bell.
Federal and Pre-K funds in the budget total approximately $2.9 million.
Quality Basic Education (QBE) funding from the state totals approximately $20.7 million in the upcoming school year.
That is a total QBE allowance from the state, which had been slashed over the past 15 years in “austeriy cuts.”
School Nutritional Specialist Bridgette Matthews received a special recognition from the Georgia Department of Agriculture for the local school system’s participation in the “Shake It Up” Initiative that promotes the state’s farm to school program.
The Elbert County school system, a year ago, received Golden Radish Platinum status, and the Georgia Department of Agriculture’s Misty Friedman told the school board that Matthews’ efforts to promote the state’s farm to school program represented a mark of excellence for Elbert County’s schools.