Katherine Polcari
Whit Colvin addresses the school board with tax renewal information.
The Hoover Board of Education discussed property tax renewals at its June 13 meeting.
School board attorney Whit Colvin explained the school board would need to take action to renew property taxes in time for the Nov. 8 general election. These taxes are one of the funding sources for the school district.
Hoover has 13.9 mills of district-wide taxes that will expire at the same time as the countywide Jefferson County taxes in 2020, Colvin said.
While the Hoover taxes are specific to the Hoover school district, the countywide taxes have to be renewed not just in Hoover, but in each of Jefferson County’s 13 school districts.
“If you [this board] should elect to ask for renewal of your district taxes on the same ballot of the county taxes, then we will need to take some action fairly soon so that the election process can begin,” Colvin said. “It’s my understanding that the Jefferson County Board intends to and ask the County Commission to schedule that vote this year, in the fall, in conjunction with the general election.”
The reason why these tax votes might appear on the same ballot as one another during the general election is to reduce costs, Colvin said. Elections are expensive to conduct, not to mention time consuming, and he said it seems the most efficient try to hold as many votes as possible at the same time.
“Should you decide to go ahead and renew district taxes, as well as countywide taxes,” Colvin said. “We will need to make sure that you adopt a resolution that we get to the County Commission.”
The board did not make a decision at the June 13 meeting. Rather, the school board said it would take time to give adequate thought and discussion to the topic before a decision is made. This resolution will need to be completed by the next monthly board meeting, which is scheduled for July 11 at 5:30 p.m.
Also during the meeting, the school board decided to name the Greystone Elementary library after Marilyn Left, the first principal at Greystone, who died in December. Superintendent Kathy Murphy took a moment to delve into Left’s background in education before the board made its decision.
“Dr. Left started her tenure with us in July of 1994, Murphy said. “She was the first principal of Greystone Elementary School and remained in that position for 11 years.”
Murphy also described Left’s academic background, which included three master's degrees and a doctorate. The motion passed without any objection.
The board also:
- Recognized 19 grants that were given to Hoover teachers this spring from the Hoover City Schools Foundation. There were 52 grant applications.
- Discussed finances allocated to special education programming in the district from preschool to high school. Overall, there is $2.3 million being used to support 42-46 employees and materials or supplies needed in the classroom.
- Discussed the 2 and 4 percent pay increases being implemented as a result of legislative action. Employees who make $75,000 or more will receive a 2 percent pay increase, and employees who make less than $75,000, as well as principals and assistant principals, will receive a 4 percent pay increase.
- Discussed the potential purchase of the old Winn-Dixie property on John Hawkins Parkway.
- Discussed the Superintendent's Advisory Council, which will be held June 28 at the Metropolitan Church of God. Almost 200 people have expressed interest in joining this council.
