Less than two weeks after local voters narrowly approved a one-cent education sales tax, the Fayette County Board of Education voted to spend some of that future money for more than 1,100 new computers.

Members voted to purchase 1,152 computers to replace 1,865 older computers with expiring lease agreements. Middle and high schools will receive 795 computers while elementary schools will get 357 units, for a total cost of $1.582 million.

The purchase will be covered by revenues from the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) passed by voters Nov. 4 and will be paid off over four years. The computers will come with a five-year warranty.

The computer swap-outs will be done within the next couple of months, though the first payment to the vendor — Dell Computers — is not due until the school system begins receiving SPLOST revenues next June.

Technology Services Director Curt Cearley explained that the each of the units going to elementary schools will serve four monitors while those at middle and high schools will be configured with one monitor per computer.

The individual price for the elementary school configuration is $485. The configuration of one computer/one monitor at middle and high schools carries a price tag of $1,125 each.

Concerning the $1,125 price tag, Cearley said the difference in the computers compared to ones from a computer store and meant for home use rested in what will be contained inside.

Built for industrial use, the computers purchased for schools will come with very substantial upgrades that amount to approximately $400 per unit, even at a discounted bulk rate.

Cearley said the price also includes the five-year warranty and parts within 24 hours. Dell also pays the school system for repair work since school system technicians are Dell-certified, he said.

Cearley told board members another round of expiring leases will hit in two years.

A significant portion of the discussion involved the $90,000 turn-in fee required by Dell as part of the lease agreement on the 1,865 old computers.

Board members Janet Smola and Lee Wright brainstormed ways to avoid having to pay the fee, one that was not negotiated several years ago when the units were leased.

In the end, the board had no choice but to agree to the fee, acknowledging that such an expense would not apply in the future since the school system has decided to forego leasing for an outright purchase. Payment of the $90,000 will not be made by SPLOST funds.