Davis, Keheley Renovations on Agenda

Northeast Cobb pastor Ike Reighard will help pump up the core this morning.

Reighard, the spiritual leader at and the CEO of , is on the agenda for “core values training” at the board’s monthly work session, which starts at 8:30 a.m.

That session will focus on revamping the Cobb County School District’s strategic plan, The Marietta Daily Journal reported. The plan runs through 2014 but rarely plays a role in school board decisions.

The work session also will delve deeper into budget issues.

The school district’s finance chief, Mike Addison, will give an update on the budget picture for the fiscal year starting July 1. It hasn’t improved much from January, when he warned of the potential for laying of 350 teachers and returning to five furlough days next school year, among other cuts, the MDJ said.

The budget-balancing act for the third consecutive year will use , the special capital-projects sales tax that expired at the end of 2008.

The school board will discuss using $20.3 million, all but about $600,000 of the remaining SPLOST II contingency money, to buy down the 2012-13 millage rate from 19.9 mills to 18.9, the current rate.

Action on that decision will occur at the .

The board used $23.6 million from SPLOST II two years ago and to .

The board will vote on another budget-related matter today, a resolution to increase the maximum size of classes.

Two construction projects at Northeast Cobb elementary schools are on the agenda today and are set for approval March 29:

• is part of a proposed $666,875 contract with Cablik Enterprises of Atlanta for renovations at the elementary school and and middle schools. The work at Davis would include six new exterior doors, new mechanical yard fencing, new metal school lettering and painting.
• would get a new metal roof and light fixtures for its clerestory, a resurfaced playground, restroom renovations, window repairs, a larger window from the front office to the lobby and other improvements under a proposed $1.02 million contract with of Kennesaw.

The proposed contract for Davis, Barber and McClure is 38 percent under budget, while the Keheley bid is 59 percent over budget.

The school board’s work session will take place at the Central Office, 514 Glover St., Marietta. You can watch the meeting live online or on cable Channel 24.