School board to discuss having SPLOST vote in March

Superintendent David Lewis will recommend today that the Muscogee County School Board approve the adoption of a resolution authorizing a Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax referendum to be held on March 17.

The recommendation will be made at a work session at 5 p.m. in the Muscogee County Public Education Center.

According to a draft of the proposal, the purpose of the one percent sales and use tax would be to raise not more than $192,185,000.

In December, Lewis presented the proposed 2015 SPLOST list to the school board.

Among items included are a new Spencer High School, a new Fort Middle School gym, a new multi-sports complex for district-wide use, expansion of the Northside High School cafeteria, an addition to the South Columbus library, a repairing or replacing of electrical and mechanical equipment at the Columbus Museum, an upgrade of Kinnett Stadium, and an upgrade of cafeterias and auditoriums at Arnold Middle School, Clubview Elementary School, Eddy Middle School, Hardaway High School, Columbus High School and Kendrick High School.

According to the work session agenda, Lewis plans to conduct public forums throughout the county to receive public input. After the public forums are held, Lewis will compile citizen concerns/suggestions and present them to the school board.

In other business:

The board will discuss the election of board officers that will take place Jan. 20. Rob Varner is currently the board chair.

Lewis is recommending that Tiffany Lawrence be appointed as assistant director for school nutrition. Lawrence has been serving as the area supervisor for the school nutrition program in the Fulton County, Ga. school system. Some of her past jobs includes restaurant chef at the Renaissance Hotel Pineisle Resort and food inspector for the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture.

Lewis will ask the board to approve LTC (Ret.) Herbert Sanders as the deputy director for Army instruction.

Lewis will recommend the board award a contract for general construction services to Freeman & Associates for the renovation of the Jordan High School auditorium.

Theresa El-Amin of the Southern Anti-Racism Network has asked to address the board in the public agenda.

This story was originally published January 11, 2015 at 12:49 PM with the headline "School board to discuss having SPLOST vote in March."