A bill disbanding the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District Board of Trustees in favor of an expanded, majority-elected group was among a number of Oktibbeha County-specific proposals that died in the Mississippi Legislature this week.
District 43 Rep. Rob Roberson’s, R-Starkville, House Bill 981, which would have revised the composition of the school board from five to seven members and mandated five of those seats be elected, died in committee Tuesday.
Roberson said he personally asked House subcommittees not to bring forward the legislation after lawmakers began working on a statewide measure requiring some school districts to move to an elected school board structure that would then appoint superintendents.
Having statewide and Oktibbeha County-specific school board bills would have created confusion, he said.
Roberson said trustees are doing a better job of reaching out to county constituents and dealing with post-merger issues, which was the intent of District 102 Rep. Toby Barker, R-Hattiesburg, who filed the original consolidation legislation.
“Toby said he gave his word to (local school constituents) that he would let them get everything straightened out with consolidation on the local level. There’s no sense of changing things now, especially since the school board is making sure everyone has a voice,” Roberson said. “I’ve been watching the school board and talking to some of its members. I’m impressed by some of the things they’re doing, like these campus listening sessions. They are genuinely trying to make this work and keep all county constituents informed.”
Funding request expected in March
Although two House bills asking the state to fund the construction of a SOCSD-Mississippi State University partnership school for all grades 6-7 students died in committee this week, a Senate version rubberstamping the project is still moving forward and a separate House financing request is expected by mid-March.
District 38 Rep. Tyrone Ellis, D-Starkville, and Roberson previously filed HB 984 and HB 993, respectively, which called for the state to allocate a maximum $30 million this fiscal year for the project, even though the total state ask is expected to only be about $10 million.
Both bills failed to emerge from their respective committees Tuesday.
Another partnership school bill – SB 2392, penned by District 9 Sen. Gray Tollison, R-Oxford – is still progressing through the Senate, according to the Mississippi Legislature’s website.
Tollison’s bill simply amends existing code to allow SOCSD and MSU to enter into agreements for “designing, constructing, maintaining and operating” the model rural education school and to transfer and expend fund for the project.
It does not specifically map out financing the school’s construction.
Officials are still expected to request $10 million, not the full $30 million as written in the two expired bills, to build the school since the school district is expected to seek $10 million from a reverse referendum authorized by lawmakers before consolidation occurred and MSU previously pledged $10 million – most of which comes from a land donation – toward the project.
District 37 Rep. Gary Chism, R-Columbus, previously told The Dispatch he would ask the state to allocate $10 million across two years for the grades 6-7 campus.
That bill has not yet emerged, but Roberson, after speaking with House Ways and Means Chairman Jeff Smith, R-Columbus, said it is expected to move forward by March 16.
Chism Wednesday said he had met with Ellis, Roberson and Smith about the two-year funding stream, and all three representatives agreed to back the legislation.
Local lawmakers have emphasized the Senate’s – specifically, Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves’ – power with approving spending measures this term. Chism said allowing Tollison’s partnership bill to serve as the main legislation moving forward will allow state House members to tinker with the language in conference.
It is unknown if representatives will attempt to add the two-year funding stream in conference, allow Chism’s expected funding request to remain separate or fold the measure into the state’s general bond requests later this term.
“We should have (Chism’s funding request) in by March 16. (Smith’s) exact words were, ‘If I’m still alive, this is going to get passed,'” Roberson said after speaking with the House Ways and Means chairman on the floor. “We’re trying to get whatever funding we can, and I have a feeling the state is going to be asked for more money for other things. It’s a messy process that it’s working its way through, and the reality is I think the allocation will have to be broken down just because of the economic status the state’s in right now. We’re not doing so well, and there’s not a lot of highlights.”
Carl Smith covers Starkville and Oktibbeha County for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter @StarkDispatch
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 37 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.