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Volume 19 Number 48
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DeKalb NAACP blasts bill to shrink School Board
Photo by Glenn L. Morgan/OCG News
DeKalb NAACP President John Evans said the civil rights organization may take legal action concerning HB 979, which reduces the number of school board members from nine to seven.
T
By Valerie J. Morgan
he DeKalb NAACP blasted state lawmakers for passing a bill that will reduce the number of DeKalb School Board members from nine to seven, saying the measure is another attempt to disenfranchise African Americans. “We just think it is a clear-cut case of racism perpetrated on us by those who seem to specialize in drawing lines to mess us up and making decisions to tell the world that they’re in power,” said DeKalb NAACP President John Evans. HB 979, sponsored by State Rep. Mike Jacobs, R-Brookhaven, passed the Senate and now goes to the governor for his signature. The bill abolishes the two at-large
(Super District) seats on the Board of Education. By eliminating the two seats, lawmakers avoided redrawing the boundaries, which likely would have been confusing for voters, who will go to the polls in three months. The elections will be held on May 20 and all of the seats–seven now–for school board are up for grabs. State lawmakers have been discussing redrawing the school boundaries for years, but could not come up with a satisfactory planned. A law that was passed in 2011 was supposed to change the number of seats, but new boundaries were never approved. Dr. Melvin Johnson, who chairs the DeKalb School Board, said board See Proposal, page 7
This is the map attached to HB 979. It is the current district map with the removal of super districts 8 and 9.
Drought finally over DeKalb employees to get 3 percent raise
By Valerie J. Morgan
All DeKalb County employees will get an acrossthe-board 3 percent raise come July as part of a $584 million operating budget approved by the DeKalb Board of Commissioners on Feb. 27. The news is welcome relief to workers. County workers haven’t had a raise in 7 years. “We appreciate the 3 percent. After seven years we really do need it,” said D. Gaither, one of several sanitation workers who urged commissioners to approve the increase. Sanitation worker Sharlene Daniels echoed Gaither’s sentiments. “We’ve worked real hard for it,” said Daniels. DeKalb County unanimously approved the 2014 operating budget, which reflects no millage rate increase and restored the budgetary reserve to $47 million. The operating budget emphasizes enhancements in public safety, economic development, community improvement and government efficiency. “I am proud that we have been able to work collaboratively with the Board of Commissioners to effectively address all of the key areas of need for DeKalb County residents without a tax increase, this
Other budget highlights include: • Year end fund balance of $47 million
• Elimination of 75 positions from the CEO’s recommended budget • Increased funding for libraries to for books and materials ($400,000) year or next,” said Interim CEO Lee May. Presiding Officer Larry Johnson said the board worked closely with Lee and his staff to make adjustments that were beneficial. “In partnership with the Interim CEO, we have made several adjustments which benefit the taxpayers of DeKalb County,” said Presiding Officer Larry Johnson. “We reached our goal of a prudent reserve; we reduced headcount and we cut an additional $16 million in spending.” Deputy Presiding Officer Stan Watson said the budget reflects not only prudent cuts but a continuation of services without a tax increase to
citizens. “We observed an awesome collaboration between the legislative and executive branches of government. The 2014 budget addresses continued delivery of services to DeKalb citizens without a tax increase,” said Deputy Presiding Officer Stan Watson. Since 2008, due to declining revenues from the collapse of the real estate market, DeKalb has balanced the budget by reducing employees (including police officers and firefighters), paving fewer roads, deferring maintenance on government buildings and county parks; and furloughing employees as well as eliminating employee cost-ofliving raises. The 2014 budget provides funding for 160 new police officers and 100 new firefighters, and restores promotional pay increases for officers that assumed additional responsibilities over the years. It includes funding for a take home car initiative for police officers. For the first time in DeKalb’s history, a tuition reimbursement program for fire and police is being introduced. These changes are expected to improve morale and mitigate attrition rates in this division, officials said. See DeKalb budget, page 6