Fulton County school board members approved on Thursday a measure calling for the group’s public meetings to continue being held in both north and south Fulton.
The 5-2 vote by the board comes amid fierce criticism by Fulton County commissioners and south Fulton parents, who have urged school officials to rethink plans for a new $34 million administrative headquarters in Sandy Springs.
Critics of the new headquarters fear that school board meetings — which currently take place in north and south Fulton — would only be held at the new headquarters in Sandy Springs, making it inconvenient for south Fulton parents to participate.
At Thursday’s meeting, school board member Catherine Maddox made the motion to hold meetings in north and south Fulton. School board members are expected to later decide exact locations for the meetings.
Board member Katie Reeves, who voted against the measure, said holding meetings in different locations could end up costing taxpayers more.
“I think it would be really best … if we can have our meetings in one location,” Reeves said.
Lisa Martin, a Roswell resident and parent of two children who attended Fulton County schools, told the board she favored having meetings in north and south Fulton because she believes it’s fair to parents and students.
“North Fulton people believe in equity and fairness to all students, and we all want to see every student achieve,” Martin said.
The school board’s action follows on the heels of a town hall meeting held Monday by Commissioner William “Bill” Edwards, who represents much of south Fulton. Edwards has spoken out against the new headquarters because he and south Fulton parents were concerned board meetings would only be held in north Fulton.
Edwards, who did not attend Thursday’s meeting, said nearly 100 parents showed up at his town hall event to protest the new headquarters.
Earlier this month, Fulton County commissioners passed a resolution urging the school board to reconsider its decision in October to move its headquarters from Cleveland Avenue in the southern part of the district to Powers Ferry Road in Sandy Springs.
The district’s move is part of a broad plan that will see it go from using six older buildings to three newer ones. The new headquarters for the nearly 90-mile-long district will be at 6201 Powers Ferry Road, with other office functions performed at 450 Northridge Parkway, also in Sandy Springs, and at 4025 Flat Shoals Road in Union City.
District officials say the plan would produce a one-time savings of $22 million in capital investment and an annual savings of $2.2 million. District officials say it would cost close to $56 million to renovate the six older buildings.
The district purchased the Sandy Springs property for the headquarters in October. District staff members are expected to begin moving into the facilities by September 2014.
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