School Superintendent Franklin enthusiastic about new Ag Center

In November of 2021, residents of Stephens County voted and approved an Educational Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax for the Stephens County School System. 789 Stephens County residents voted in favor of the

resolution with 262 voting against it.

The E-SPLOST resolution allowed the school system to continue to collect a one percent sales and use tax for the purpose of financing certain capital outlay projects for education purposes.

A major project that those funds have been earmarked for is the construction of a new Agriculture Center, to be located near the Eastanollee Cannery on Eastanollee School Road. 

At the Stephens County Board of Education meeting earlier this month, board members unanimously approved a $13.3 million bond resolution that will provide the mechanism by which the school system can begin work on the Ag. Center without waiting for the full collection of funds from the E-SPLOST. 

Stephens County School Superintendent Dr. Connie Franklin explained how the bond will assist in moving forward with the construction project, potentially saving the district – and taxpayers – money in the long run. 

The decision to place the new ag center as a priority and earmark E-SPLOST funds for its construction was made before Franklin stepped into the Superintendent position, but she said this project would be a beneficial enhancement to the current Agriculture CTAE program.

She described to WNEG News the benefits the building would have for the students, and the variety of uses it could serve.

In addition to serving as a show and competition location, the building will have classrooms, teacher offices, and much more, she added.

Agriculture as a CTAE program, and as a future career opportunity for Stephens County students, is a very important and viable path for the CTAE program, Franklin explained.

Franklin said the school system looked at the Ag program buildings and facilities in several other counties, and many of the features of the future Stephens County building took ideas from the best features of those facilities, especially the Ag Center in Pickens County. 

Franklin said they are hoping to break ground at the end of September, and the school system is very excited to see the project underway, and looking forward to the completion, which should be 12 to 18 months after the groundbreaking.

Financial details on the ESPOST and Bond Resolution will be available by the end of the day here on wnegradio.com