By PAT NEWMAN
Staff Writer

The Fayette County Board of Education voted 5-0 Thursday to ask the voters Sept. 21 for a $90 million special local option sales tax and a $50 million bond sale to construct new schools and upgrade technology and security measures at existing schools.

The 1 percent sales tax would be imposed starting Jan. 1 and, according to financial predictions, should raise $90 million, based on an 8 percent average annual growth rate over five years. The sale of $50 million in general obligation bonds would enable the board to jump start projects in all schools and according to Superintendent John DeCotis, avoid the effects of inflation on project costs.

The bonds would be paid back with the SPLOST revenue as it comes in.

Despite the hefty $90 million proposed, DeCotis noted that the total cash available from the sales tax would fall short of completing all the projects, specifically the new high school and a second new elementary school. DeCotis said he anticipated receiving a large portion of the construction costs from the state Department of Education for the two schools, but would not include the anticipated grant money in the plan.

Instead, SPLOST funds for the new high school, or elementary, whatever is most needed at the time, should be put into an escrow account, he said. “We're probably being as conservative as we can possibly be,” said Debbie Condon, board chairman, reviewing the growth figures presented by their financial advisors.

Board member Mickey Littlefield called the move to escrow funds for the $23 million high school the board's “safety net.”

The need to prioritize projects proposed in the plan was emphasized by board member Connie Hale, so “the public knows how we're going to do their [school's] projects,” she said. Condon and DeCotis agreed that prioritizing is necessary.

School board attorney Phil Hartley cautioned the board about being too specific. “Be careful on the obligations you create,” he said. School finance director Jim Stephens suggested reporting on how the money is to spent by category, rather than specific dollar amounts.

DeCotis said the list of projects will continue to be fine-tuned as more information is received from specific schools, parents and the community.

He announced the second community round table will be Saturday at 10 a.m. at the LaFayette Education Complex.

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