Hart and McCall question school officials

Overall, Oconee School District calculates that to operate another year of public education in the county will require $96.7 million dollars—80% of which is taken by personnel costs.  First-term county councilman Glenn Hart, noting that the schools are asking for an extra $3.2 million in local support, posed the question last night whether the schools will ever reach a point a leveling off point between what it takes to operate and available revenue.  At last night’s hearing, district finance officer Gloria Moore said she could not answer the question, but told Hart that, like general county government, school expenses keep going up.  Councilman Wayne McCall said, in reference to the additional funding request, “We ain’t got it.  We can’t give our employees a pay raise.”  All school district employees are in line for a 1% pay raise, but general county employees are excluded for pay raises in 2017-18.  The county has also identified 15 existing jobs, which are to be eliminated starting July 1.  McCall later last night said,   “These are bad times.”