Parent Advisory Committee Members,
I had the opportunity to meet many of you at last month’s county-wide PAC, and I want to follow up with you. As the tax vote approaches, I wanted to provide you with the single sheet handout that we’ve used while talking to parent groups throughout the county. I have attached both pages of the front and back flyer. If anyone else can get a group of parents together that would like to have me, Dr. Davis or another board member come and discuss the tax, I’d be more than happy to attend.
The condensed version of “Why we need the sales tax” is as follows:
· We are currently 628 students over building capacity county wide.
· We are projected to be between 3,500-4,000 over building capacity by 2012,
due to inherent growth and the impact of BRAC.
· We have $160 Million in needed buildings, additions, and renovations to
accommodate those additional students.
· He have about $25-30 Million available to us to build with ($130 Million
or more short of above need).
· This ½ cent sales tax revenue CAN ONLY BE USED FOR NEW BUILDINGS,
ADDITIONS, AND RENOVATIONS (or payment on debt for those same things).
· This ½ cent sales tax will generate $7.5 Million per year for the county
school system, which we can use to borrow about $130 Million.
· The City Councils for both Huntsville and Madison have the authority to
levy ½ cent sales taxes for their respective school systems, and they are
likely to do so if this county-wide tax fails. If that happens, those of us
in the county will end up paying the ½ cent sales tax when we shop at Bridge
Street, Parkway Place, Wal-Mart, Target, Publix, etc (almost all are inside
the city limits), but our kids WON’T GET ANY OF THE BENEFIT!
· What if the tax fails? How will be accommodate the extra 3,500 students?
o Leasing Portables (Cost $10,000/year EACH)
o Use of facilities from neighboring districts (Example: 2nd floor of
Johnson High is empty)
o Alternative calendar/year round school (25% of students are off in any one
quarter - some children to be in school over summer)
o Establishing satellite schools / classrooms in secondary institutions
o Double sessions (½ of students in the morning and the other ½ in the
afternoon)
o Use of Vacant Commercial Buildings (“Bruno’s Middle School”)
o Public – Private Partnerships
o Some combination of all of the above
·In my opinion, it is unlikely that this tax will pass throughout all of
Madison County (including both cities), but it doesn’t have to for us to
succeed. Because this is an “advisory vote”, the County Commission will use
the outcome of this vote to shape their votes, but it’s not directly tied to
the outcome of the election. In other words, if we can win in the districts
of the predominantly rural commissioners (Roger Jones, Jerry Craig, and Dale
Strong) and convince them to support the tax, they can vote in favor of the
tax and it can then pass with the help of County Commission Chairman Mike
Gillespie (who only votes on ties). We HAVE to have a compelling showing in
those three rural commissioner’s areas.
I appreciate your support and your hard work on behalf of children. Please
forward this to your personal networks with a plea to support this vote.
This tax vote is critical to the future of education in the Madison County
School System. WE SIMPLY HAVE TO HAVE ADEQUATE FACILITIES TO HOUSE THE
TREMENDOUS INFLUX OF STUDENTS WE ARE CONTINUING TO FACE. Don’t hesitate to
contact me if I can be of any assistance to you.
If you are a school system employee, do NOT use your school system e-mail account to forward these messages. Please do so via your personal e-mail account.
Thanks,
Rich McAdams, Jr.
Board President
Board Member, District 1
Madison County Board of Education
When: SUNDAY, MAY 11
Time: 9:00 AM
Where: MADISON CO. ELEM/MIDDLE SCHOOL AUDITORIUM
For more information, please contact:
Gurley Cumberland Presbyterian 776-2331
FREE ADMISSION
A LOVE OFFERING WILL BE RECEIVED
GROUP BIO:
Renaissance, The Bethel College Performing Arts Experience
Renaissance, Bethel's upbeat, entertaining "performance troupe" uses choirs, ensembles and soloists to showcase the talents of Bethel student. Renaissance, referred to as the Bethel College Performing Arts Experience, encompasses vocal talent, instrumental talent and dramatic talent to thrill audiences near and far.
"Serious music, sizzling performance" sets the tone for this exciting collection of more than 100 talented students. The group performs a wide range of musical styles - bluegrass to jazz, show tunes to "doo-wop" and the best loved songs of faith - traditional and contemporary.
Renaissance is an extension of Bethel's Development Office and builds on our already rich performance tradition to extend the reputation and the reach of the college. From stages, platforms, and pulpits - large and small - Renaissance shows the world that Bethel College, and her students, are among the best in the nation.
Renaissance Leadership
Director: Mr. Peter Jeffrey
Thomas Oakley: Conductor of Renaissance Regiment
Brian Hill: Director of Renaissance Theatre
Dr. Beth Everett: Associate Choral Conductor
Dr. Keith Herris: Associate Music Conductor
Jeremy Tate: Associate Conductor of Regiment
Billy McGarity: Associate Conductor/Bluegrass
Dr. John Hall: Founding Conductor
Karen Jeffrey: Administrative Director
DIRECTOR BIO
Renaissance Director Peter Jeffrey won a 1995 GMA Dove Award for his song
"Without You (I Haven't Got a Prayer)." That same song also earned the 1995
CCMA Song of the Year.
Peter has also worked with some of the music industry's most prominent
entertainers including Doug Stone, McBride and the Ride, JoDee Messina and
Lee Ann Womack, and he has performed in several music videos and appeared on
such television shows as "The Tonight Show," "The Today Show," and "The
View."
He has extensive live show experience and has even entertained from the
stage of the "Grand Ole Opry," as well as from stages all over the world.
Peter draws from his many years of performing to encourage and drive
Renaissance to new levels of excitement -- so contagious that the performing
troupe has literally brought every audience to its feet, without exception!
Peter's knowledge of and familiarity with many different styles of music
have provided him -- and Renaissance -- with virtually unlimited
possibilities.
To contact Toy replace NOSp@m by @ in his email address
I would like to invite you and your family to come out to Gurley Lodges 1st annual OLE TIME AUCTION. Gurley Lodge is accepting any type of donation or service to be auctioned off. Proceeds go to benefit the historic Gurley Lodge # 521 F & AM.
Gurley Lodge has been an active fraternity of good quality men in the Town of Gurley and the surrounding community for over 100 yrs. With your help and support we will ensure that the lodge will continue to prosper and be successful.
This will be a fun event to participate or come out and watch with your family. We will be offering a variety of concessions for your convenience.
I hope to see everyone there.
For more information feel free to contact me or go online to our website www.gurleylodge521.org .
Sincerely Yours,
Ken Gawronski, Jr. PM 2006-2007
Gurley Lodge #521 F & AM
Secretary/ Webmaster
(256) 316-5983
(Items can be viewed Saturday May 3RD From 10:00AM Until 2:00 PM Doors open at 8:00 AM for viewing the auction. The Auction will begin at 10:00 AM, Sat. May 10TH 2008 UNTIL ALL ITEMS ARE SOLD)
To contact Ken replace NO@Spam by @ in his email address
I am writing to express my concerns about the proposed legislation to add more required PE time to our public school days. I fear that adding this requirement will make it even harder for our students to have time for their academic efforts and also take advantage of worthwhile electives. My child is a member of the band and I believe that activity is also healthy, wholesome, and educational. Band offers opportunities that can’t be substituted by additional PE time and I want my child to be able to enjoy those benefits. I am therefore urging you to please work to defeat House Bill 83 when it come to a vote.
Thank you for your support,
Signed
Mr. or Mrs. Concerned Band Parent
I don’t want to be an alarmist about this…. but this is not going away and must be addressed. You must take immediate action to defeat this bill!
Please ask everyone to contact their Representative. They may send an email to house3@alhouse.org with the intended recipient’s name in the subject line, or send a fax to 334-353-0828. To contact your Senator, send an email to senate.billstatus@alsenate.org with the intended recipient’s name in the subject line, or send a fax to 334-242-8819.
Saturday April 12 at 10:00 am
April 13 at
Century Celebration
Parade in Gurley (Rain or Shine).
The parade will form behind the old school. It will be followed by a
brief reenactment of the Governor’s dedication of the high school.
Weather permitting, this will be on the football field behind the
school. In case of rain the ceremony will be in the auditorium.
Century Celebration Banquet, VBC, East Hall 2.
Lunch and the program will begin at
To contact Judy remove NOSPAM in the email address
|
I am in the process of researching a highway that ran
through Gurley beginning in 1919. It was called the Dixie
Lee Highway and ran from Kimball, TN through
north Alabama and on to Memphis, TN. From Paint Rock, it
crossed the railroad tracks where Jackson County Rd 65 and
72 meet, then it ran parallel to the tracks, on the north
side of the tracks, toward Gurley. If you look between the county line and co rd 65, you can still see the power line poles that were erected alongside this road. The road would have been between the powerlines and the train tracks. This highway is now just a dirt farm road in this area but in other areas of Jackson County, it is still being used. The Dixie Lee Highway was replaced in the 1930's with Robert E. Lee Highway/72. The road came into Gurley onto what is now Railroad Street and then crossed the tracks on Section Line Road and continued on Little Cove Road on its way to join Old 431 in Big Cove and on into Huntsville. If you travel east on Railroad Street today until the pavement ends, you can see a culvert built for this highway. I am still researching this and just wanted to share with you. If you have any other information on this, please feel free to let me know! |
To contact Derrick replace NO@SPAM by @ in his email address