Bibb County school board mulls tax increase, new hires, salary bumps

Bibb County Schools still faces a $17 million deficit after reducing costs and receiving additional state revenue, and its board of education is considering property tax hikes to make up the difference.

The Bibb County school board also discussed possible hires and salary increases at its second work session Monday afternoon.

The school board began budget discussions in early April, introducing a $23 million deficit partly due to a $9 million decrease in equalization funding and new state mandated healthcare changes.

Since the board’s first work session last month, the school district received an additional $2 million in state per-pupil funds. The district also asked departments to cut down on costs and deferred textbook purchases until next year, saving the district an additional $6 million.

The changes bring the preliminary budget deficit to roughly $17 million, which would mainly have to be addressed, but additional requests would increase spending.

Superintendent Dan Sims is asking for a handful of new hires, including a consultant to address truancy, a coach for principals, elementary school ELA coordinator and an assistant athletic director. Sims and the district are also looking to carve out a 3% raise for certified teachers at a cost of roughly $5.5 million.

Sims said cuts being made by the school district, “pale in comparison” to unfunded mandates from the state, including an increase in state-mandated medical insurance.

Board member Henry Ficklin said he had “consternations” about the timing and need for new hires as the board is trying to reduce the budget. He said the district should look at bumping teacher pay by 3.5% or 4% instead of the 3% suggested by Sims.

“We had 43 teachers leave this school year, and many of them pointed out they were going to another system,” Ficklin told the board. “That is critical to me of making sure that teachers are paid and that they feel they are valued in our system.”

When asked by Ficklin about the principal coaching position, Sims said it would “accelerate school improvement efforts” on a day-to-day basis, specifically when it comes to individual schools’ academic cultures. 

“Great teams have great coaches,” Sims told The Melody. “The concept of coaching adds value, and education is no exception.” 

Bibb Schools CFO Eric Bush shared several scenarios, plotting out what the budget could look like if a combination of factors were adopted, including a 3% salary increase, an increase in one mill — which would raise $5.9 million — and a salary study. 

Board member Barney Hester said he agreed with Ficklin’s concerns about adding positions, and asked Bush directly about how he plans to balance the budget.

The state requires the district to maintain a balance-to-expense ratio between 8% and 15% to ensure the district has enough of a financial cushion in case of any variance. The district currently has $67.8 million in its general fund and maintained a ratio of 24.9% last year.

According to district projects, implementing a 3% raise and increasing the millage rate would result in the school district running out of money in the 2029 fiscal year, which begins in the summer of 2028.

“I don’t think we can reduce it enough to balance $20 million out of it,” Bush told board members. “At some point in time we’re gonna have to catch up to our millage rate or either rely on state income to come in.”

The district’s director of elementary services and director of maintenance are set to get a $16,237 raise and new title under the superintendent’s recommendation. Antonio Simmons, director of maintenance, earns $125,013 annually and Olena Stadnik, director of elementary services, earns $110,863, according to the Melody’s BCSD salary database.

Bibb Schools also reaped $1 million from Macon-Bibb County’s school zone speed camera revenue. Sims said the money would pay for more campus officers.

The school board is set to adopt a tentative budget at its regular monthly meeting May 15. It will hold two public hearings in June before they finalize the budget.