ACS board passes $190.1 million budget
BY ANITA STIEFEL
EDITOR@OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM
AUBURN — At the Auburn City Schools Board of Education’s regularly scheduled meeting on Sept. 10, Superintendent Dr. Cristen Herring congratulated board members Sharon Tolbert and Blake Prestridge for School Board Academy Achievements, Level 1, and board members Melanie Chambless, Kathy Powell and David Warren, along with Tolbert and Prestridge, for Compliance Achievements.
Herring introduced special guests, the 2024-2025 Auburn High School Ambassadors, to the board and commended the students for their achievements.
The board held the second of two public hearings regarding the system’s fiscal year 2024-2025 budget.
The board approved minutes from its regular meeting on Aug. 13 and from a special session on Sept. 3.
The board voted to approve the school system’s FY 2024-2025 proposed budget of $190.1 million. While local school boards are required by law to maintain a minimum reserve fund equal to one month’s operating expenses, ACS has 3.92 months of operations on reserve, which exceeds the board’s goal of 3 months.
The board approved adding to the 2024-2025 Parent and Student Handbook a policy on distribution of explicit images, as well as a revision handbook regarding due process procedures.
The board approved the job description for a custodian supervisor, a position the board is seeking to fill. The board approved an increase in pay for part-time bus drivers in an effort to recruit more applicants.
The board announced it will tour city schools on Oct. 1 and will hold a work session on Nov. 5 from 8:30 to 10 a.m. at the central office.
The next meeting of the board will be at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 8, at Auburn Junior High School’s multi-media room.
Lee County Schools board approves $164.7 budget
BY JANIE CANTEY
FOR THE OBSERVER
LEE COUNTY — At its regularly scheduled meeting on Sept. 10, the Lee County Schools Board of Education approved the proposed Fiscal Year 2025 budget in the amount of $164,765,100. The system has reserves amounting to 3.24 months of operating costs, which exceeds the state’s requirement of one month’s reserves.
The board approved a bid of $98,778.62 from BSN Sports LLC for track equipment for Beulah and Loachapoka high schools.
Board members awarded the system’s ice cream and frozen novelties contract to Ice Cream Warehouse, which submitted the low bid.
The board awarded the supplemental grocery contract to Osborn Foodservice, which submitted the low bid.
The board approved the following out of state and overnight field trips: Beauregard High School HOSA to Mobile Oct. 7-8 for the Joint Leadership Development Conference; Beauregard Elementary field trip to the River Center in Columbus, Georgia on Oct. 22, 2024; and South Smiths Station Elementary School field trip to Callaway Gardens on Oct. 11.
The board voted to move forward with Phase One of the Smiths Station Multipurpose Athletic Complex; with auxiliary gyms at Beauregard Elementary School, Loachapoka Elementary and South Smiths Station Junior High schools; with track improvements at Beauregard High School; and with band room expansion at Beaulah High School.
Ken Roberts, chief school financial officer, reported to the board that while expenses are up by 10%, the system’s finances are right on target.
The board approved personnel recommendations, including the suspension of Shavia Evans-Alexander, whose legal counsel addressed the board. Evans-Alexander was suspended for five days without pay.
Amanda Meadows, a Lee County School System employee, addressed the board regarding the need for the same training for special needs aids as is required for special needs school bus drivers, and encouraged the board to “raise the bar.”
Bridget Rybacki, a parent of a student in the Lee County School System, offering strong support of the new policy on the use of cell phones during school hours. She said the policy allows students to be more engaging during class and also decreases the amount of stress on teachers and administrators.
The next regularly scheduled board meeting will be held Oct. 8 at 6 p.m.
Opelika School Board approves $76.8 million budget
BY ANITA STIEFEL
EDITOR@OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM
OPELIKA — The Opelika City Schools Board of Education met Thursday, Sept. 12, for a second public hearing regarding the fiscal year 2024-2025 budget. Following the hearing, the board voted to approve the $76.8 million budget, as presented by Chief School Finance Officer Chris Harrison.
“The FY2025 projected ending fund balance in the General Fund (Fund 11) is $28.4 million, resulting in a 5.67-month reserve,” Harrison said, explaining is is well above the state requirement for schools to have one month’s reserve.
In other business, the board voted to renew a contract for system-wide lawn care services with Total Landscaping, which submitted the low bid of $101,091.68.
The board awarded a contract for renovations to the Opelika High School Sports Arena to Whatley Construction, which submitted the low bid of $1.25 million. The renovations will include new flooring, bleachers, paint and lighting.
“This is a refresh of the whole building,” explained Superintendent Farrell Seymore, who said the work will hopefully be completed by January, in time for basketball season.
The board approved a request for an out-of-state field trip by the Fox Run Band for the sixth-graders to experience a performance at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta.
Before adjourning, the board set its next meeting for Tuesday, Oct. 22, at 4:30 p.m. at the Central Office, located at 300 Simmons St. in Opelika.
