Friday, April 26, 2002
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Friday, April 26, 2002 |
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Voter support helps school system growth
I express my sincere thanks to all Fulton County citizens who took the time to go to the polls on March 19 and vote. With your support, the school system can continue our promise to provide quality educational learning environments. I am especially thankful to our parent leaders for the hundreds of hours they spent organizing and running the sales tax campaign. It was truly another example of grassroots success. The overwhelmingly favorable vote tells us that the community believes in our efforts. With our current sales tax, we exceeded our promises. We planned for 17 new schools and actually built 19, all of which opened on time and under budget. All existing schools received upgrades and we completed a much needed transportation facility in north Fulton. We not only repaid our bond debt; we also reduced property taxes. We are proud of our accomplishments, and we look forward to continuing our accountability to the taxpayer with the sales tax extension. The Fulton County School System continues to grow at a pace that requires new schools and facilities to support the 12,000 additional students anticipated over the next five years. The continuation tax will allow us to fund 10 new schools, complete major additions at three schools, expand and renovate where needed, purchase land for future sites, improve technology and equipment, buy buses, improve staff development and maintenance facilities, and further reduce taxes for property owners. With this plan, the next five years will be just as busy as the past five years. We will be drawing from our experiences and collaborative relationships to continue to provide facilities that open on time and under budget. We are fortunate to have county and municipal leaders who are committed to working with the school system on planning, zoning, and joint projects. Local developers also are beginning to assist in our capital efforts, with one developer donating land for a new school and positive proposals from two other developers currently being considered. During the past several years, we have greatly increased the amount of time and information shared with our county commissioners and city councils. With this open door of communication, we have improved our working relationships with governmental leaders. For example, we routinely share our enrollment projections and capital program plans with county and city leaders. We hold regular meetings between key school system personnel and Fulton County government staff. We speak before zoning panels concerning the impact of pending development on the local schools, and we meet regularly to discuss ways the school system, cities, and the county can work together on various projects. These efforts have led to joint use agreements such as parks and recreation areas, and our joint fueling facility in Alpharetta. They provide one more example of how the school system strives to be good financial stewards of the taxpayer's money. Again, I thank you for your support of the Fulton County School System and look forward to the next phase of Fulton's capital building program. We will continue to keep you informed and encourage your involvement in our efforts. As we grow, we will need you to participate in our redistricting meetings, serve on our committees, and voice your opinions. We will continue to listen and continue to work together for our students. If you have any questions, or would like more information, please contact our Community Relations Department at 404-763-6830, or visit our web site at www.fulton.k12.ga.us. Stephen D. Dolinger Fulton County School Superintendent
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