Referendum to renew sales tax for schools set for March 15

Interim superintendent Allen McCannon said Feb. 9 that the first focus for the funding is finish paying for the current middle school, which was constructed several years ago.

“If voters decide to continue our sales tax, the first priority will be to pay off the new middle school with E-SPLOST funds,” McCannon said. “The board of education has also decided to not initiate a new bond referendum. This change means that Madison County taxpayers will no longer be charged a bond millage; therefore, property taxes should be lower. If voters do not decide to continue the sales tax in a referendum, the M&O millage (property tax) would be have to be used to pay off the new middle school.”

Next, administrators plan to focus on renovating and expanding the core of the high school, which comprises the oldest part of the building, such as the current media center, front office areas, cafeteria and oldest classrooms.

“Replacing the high school core is the top priority,” McCannon told the school board at Tuesday night’s business meeting. A new addition with 48 classrooms is also planned.

“Everything (being considered) is based on general estimates and is tentative,” McCannon said. “When an organization is doing projects that require major renovations, specific budgets are difficult to create in early planning stages.”

There are also tentative plans for a new high school gymnasium, but McCannon said that would only be considered during “phase II,” after other renovations were complete.

Renovations are also planned for Comer Elementary School, including the construction of a new media center. The current media center would be turned into two classrooms and another new classroom would be constructed, along with modifications to the existing hall and computer lab areas.