May | 2019 | StanJester - FactChecker

Monthly Archives: May 2019

Chamblee – Jester Community Town Hall

Posted on May 21, 2019 by Stan Jester | 7 comments

I’m inviting all students, parents, teachers, and the community at large to my upcoming Chamblee Community Town Hall meeting.

CHAMBLEE
When: Tue June 11 @ 5:30pm
Where: Chamblee Library – 4115 Clairmont Rd, Chamblee

DUNWOODY
When: May 14th @ 7pm
Where: St. Luke’s – 1978 Mt Vernon Rd, Dunwoody
Room: Chapel – From the Manhasset entrance, turn right in the lobby

As we approach the end of the 2018-2019 school year, we have a lot to talk about. No speeches here … let’s discuss what’s going on. What’s going on? Off the top of my head, E-SPLOST projects are running out of money, the school district is squeezing more and more children into our schools and the school district will be asking for a loan of up to $250 million soon. Furthermore, the Dunwoody, Chamblee, Brookhaven and Doraville areas will see some redistricting over the next few years as new schools come online.

Come one, come all. I will also invite various representatives from our other local governments to join us.

See you soon.

7 Comments

Posted in Chamblee High School

Options To Address E-SPLOST Budget Issues

Posted on May 13, 2019 by Stan Jester | 19 comments

In earlier posts, I discussed E-SPLOST Budget Overruns and Projects on Hold. What’s the plan? Here are the options we are currently looking at.

BACKGROUND

The DeKalb County School District operates in over 130 instructional facilities
• 76 Elementary school facilities
• 19 Middle school facilities
• 21 High school facilities
• 7 Other school facilities
• 3 Instructional program facilities

E-SPLOST BUDGET ISSUES

Industry‐wide construction costs have increased by 15%‐20% in past few years. E‐SPLOST V projects are projected to cost approximately $87 million more than originally estimated. E‐SPLOST V state reimbursement revenues might be as much $31 million over estimated due to existing unused capacity

RECOMMENDATION TO ADDRESS E‐SPLOST BUDGET ISSUES

DeKalb Schools recommends the following two step process to address the budget issues:

1. Balancing Budgets for E‐SPLOST IV and E‐SPLOST V for approval by the Board in June/July 2019
2. General Obligation Bond to fund additional projects (including some of those projects removed in step 1), for approval by the Board

STEP 1: BALANCING E‐SPLOST BUDGETS (JUNE/JULY 2019)

E‐SPLOST V Adjustments
• Remove 10 projects (‐$66.8 M)*
• Reduce scope of 8 projects (+$13.8 M)*
• Increase budget of 14 projects (+$53.0 M)*

Recommended E‐SPLOST IV adjustments:
• Remove K‐12 Arts School from E‐SPLOST IV (‐$11.1 M*)
• Fund project with GO Bond

*Based on current budget.

Remove 10 E‐SPLOST V projects: (‐$66.8 M)
• Peachtree MS Addition (‐$14.1 M)†
• Lakeside HS Addition and turf (‐$26.9 M)†
• Turf installation at 14 Schools (‐$10.8 M)*
• Parking addition at 10 schools (‐$1.6 M) *
• Sprinkler installation at 18 schools (‐$3.9 M)
• Freedom MS Addition (‐$8.5 M)
• Lead‐In‐Water Set‐Aside (‐$0.9 M)
• Clarkston HS Addition – Reduce addition from 32 classrooms to 15 classrooms and remove artificial turf installation (‐$8.4 M)

Reduce scope and increase budget of 3 E‐SPLOST V projects: (+$22.1 M)
• Cross Keys MS Conversion – Reduce addition size from 21 classrooms to 8 classrooms (+$1.8)
• New Cross Keys HS – Reduce size of new school from 119 classrooms to 98 classrooms (+$17.2 M))
• Cedar Grove HS Auditorium Addition – Remove artificial turf installation (+$3.1 M)

Increase budget with no scope change in 11 E‐SPLOST V projects: (+$22.5 M)
• Fence installation at 36 schools (+$1.2 M)
• Security Vestibules at 20 schools (+$1.6 M)
• Chamblee HS Addition (+$4.9 M)*
• New John Lewis ES (+$0.2 M)
• New Cross Keys North ES (+$0.2 M)
• New Indian Creek ES (+$10.5 M)
• Druid Hills MS (+$0.6 M)
• Tech: ERP/Finance/HR System (+$3.3 M)

Increase budget of 3 other E‐SPLOST V projects: (+$30.6 M)
• Dunwoody HS Addition – Increase size of addition from +26 classrooms to +41 classrooms and remove artificial turf installation (p #215, +$9.5 M)†
• Program Contingency (p #602, +$16.1 M)
• Revenue Reserve Fund – Create a revenue reserve fund (+$5 M)

E‐SPLOST IV Recommendation
Remove K‐12 Arts School from E‐SPLOST IV* and place into GO Bond (‐$11.1 M)
OR Keep K‐12 Arts School in E‐SPLOST IV and find $3.9 M of other non‐SPLOST revenues

GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS

• Option A: $210 million GO Bond
• Option B: $245 million GO Bond
• Option C: $180 million GO Bond

OPTION A ‐ $210 MILLION – GO BOND PROJECTS
• Peachtree MS Addition ($12 M; E‐SPLOST V)
• Lakeside HS Addition ($25 M; E‐SPLOST V)
• K‐12 Arts School ($15 M; E‐SPLOST IV)
• Four new elementary schools ($34 M each): ($136 M total)
• Toney ES (22% FCA; combine with Kelly Lake ES, 39% FCA)
• Stoneview ES (40% FCA; capacity needs)
• Hawthorne ES (37% FCA; combine with Henderson Mill ES, 27% FCA)
• New ES for Dunwoody/Chamblee clusters (capacity needs)
• GO Bond program contingency and escalation ($22 M)

OPTION B ‐ $245 MILLION GO BOND PROJECTS
• Peachtree MS Addition ($12 M; E‐SPLOST V)
• Lakeside HS Addition ($25 M; E‐SPLOST V)
• K‐12 Arts School ($15 M; E‐SPLOST IV)
• Five new elementary schools ($34 M each): ($170 M total)
• Toney ES (22% FCA; combine with Kelly Lake ES, 39% FCA)
• Stoneview ES (40% FCA; capacity needs)
• Hawthorne ES (37% FCA; combine with Henderson Mill ES, 27% FCA)
• New ES for Dunwoody/Chamblee clusters (capacity needs)
• Brockett ES (35% FCA) or Idlewood ES (65% FCA) or E.L. Miller ES (36% FCA)
• GO Bond program contingency and escalation ($23 M)

OPTION C ‐$180 MILLION GO BOND PROJECTS
• Peachtree MS Addition ($12 M; E‐SPLOST V)
• No Lakeside HS Addition ($0 M; E‐SPLOST V)
• K‐12 Arts School ($15 M; E‐SPLOST IV)
• Four new elementary schools ($34 M each): ($136 M total)
• Toney ES (22% FCA; combine with Kelly Lake ES, 39% FCA)
• Stoneview ES (40% FCA; capacity needs)
• Hawthorne ES (37% FCA; combine with Henderson Mill ES, 27% FCA)
• New ES for Dunwoody/Chamblee clusters (capacity needs)
• GO Bond program contingency and escalation ($14 M)

GO BOND OPTIONS