VALDOSTA — The Lowndes County Schools Board of Education approved the SPLOST VI referendum as is at a board meeting earlier this week.

E-SPLOST, which is a one-cent sales tax that helps fund both school systems’ projects, was presented to the board to approve so it could move onto the ballots for the March 19 referendum election.

“The Valdosta City School Board approved the resolution,” school Superintendent Wes Taylor said. “If you approve this tonight, the chairman will have several pages to sign to put this process in motion.”

The SPLOST VI referendum states it is in conjunction with city and county schools, and it will continue to be a one-cent sales tax.

The board also approved the fiscal year 2020 budget calendar, which was presented Dec. 3 to the board and Dec. 5 to administrative employees for review.

It won’t be until April when the budget is drafted and May until a tentative budget is read and advertised in the legal organ.

The budget will reveal the millage rate in May, according to the budget calendar.

SPLOST collections were up for the month of December and the year of 2018 at $1,030,282 for the month and $12,181,106 for the year. The SPLOST collections increased by more than $40,000 from November and $376,000 from 2017.

At the beginning of the meeting, Taylor presented awards to custodial and nutrition employees from Clyattville Elementary School and Dewar Elementary School. Football coach Randy McPherson was showed the team’s Georgia School Board Association’s “Team of Excellence” football award.

The next board meeting is at the central office, 6 p.m., Feb. 4. 

Katelyn Umholtz is a reporter with the Valdosta Daily Times. She can be contacted at (229)244-3400 ext. 1256.