Cobb Schools Approves $1.5B Budget In Special Meeting

COBB COUNTY, GA — A week after violating Georgia's sunshine laws, the Cobb County School District Board of Education adopted a $1.5 billion budget Thursday morning in a special called meeting.

Board members unanimously approved the budget with members Jaha Howard and Leroy "Tre" Hutchins absent from the meeting.

The board also approved the same budget at last Thursday's regularly scheduled school board meeting, but the district failed to provide in-person or virtual access to the public hearing on the matter — a violation of the state's open meetings laws, or "sunshine laws."

The term "sunshine laws" traces back to the Government in the Sunshine Act, a federal law enacted in 1976 (and other state-level "sunshine laws" that predate the federal one) following the Watergate and Panama Papers scandals. Its intention was to create greater transparency in the government, or shed sunlight on it.

It's required by law for a government entity — which includes school districts — to host two public hearings before voting, therefore nullifying the budget vote last week, Superintendent Chris Ragsdale told the Marietta Daily Journal. The special meeting was called to redo the hearing and the official vote, so Ragsdale said it's technically not a "revote."

It's also required by law that all government agencies' meetings, excluding executive sessions, must be open to the public as long as there's a quorum of the governing body. Since there was no livestream of the hearing and the district did not allow the public inside the meeting for in-person viewing, this part of Georgia's Open Meetings Act was also violated.

A district spokesperson cited technical difficulties as the reason for not livestreaming the hearing, and COVID-19 restrictions as a reason why reporters and the public could not enter the board room in person.

These COVID-19 restrictions — as well as digital access to the meetings — have been in place since the pandemic began last March, and only public commenters could enter on a one-at-a-time basis — they would just have to leave the board room after they were finished speaking. In July, the district will allow the public back into the board room for meetings, Superintendent Chris Ragsdale said.

"Traditionally, the public has real-time access to budget hearings through physical attendance. While under COVID-19 restrictions, the legal requirement to provide real-time public access to budget hearings has occurred through live-stream," a district spokesperson previously told Patch. "Due to technical difficulties, the live-stream did not occur during our second budget hearing."

The district's $1.5 billion budget for fiscal year 2021-22 allows for 4 to 8.6 percent raises for all non-temporary staff.

All employees will get a 4 percent raise, and the FY 2022 budget includes a full salary step for eligible employees. Specific employee raises will be based on both particular roles and eligibility for step increases. Raises take effect July 1.

Read more:

• Social Media Policy, New Principals, Staff Raises: Cobb Schools
• Possible Sunshine Law Violation Forces Cobb School Board Revote