Governor Bill Lee’s first executive order could have a direct impact on DeKalb County and other rural areas as the new governor is making good on his promise to help small towns around the Volunteer state.
“One of the governor’s priorities and that of the legislature is to get the things we need for our rural communities whether it be broadband, infrastructure, jobs, and economic growth,” revealed State Senator Mark Pody who was on-hand on the county commission planning meeting Thursday evening to offer his help. “We also want to make sure schools have what they need here. That is going to be one of the priorities the governor plans to put forth and we try to back up to make sure we get things we need here for the county.”
Pody said the state has already put its money where its mouth is when it comes to teacher pay as they funded raises for teachers across the state last year.
I believe Tennessee has already increased teacher pay more as a percentage than anywhere in the nation,” Pody said of last year’s funding. “We have tried to put more money into teacher salaries in the last six years and this governor wants to do the same thing. The last time we did it we wanted every teacher to have almost a one thousand dollar raise. We gave it to the school boards but it was up to them to divide it out and make those decisions”
The local school board used the state money to give all school employees raises this past year along with money from the local school funds that was made to make the pay increase larger.
Part of Governor Lee’s plan will also be to help boost technical education. “What the governor specifically wants to do is help the CTE program. The career and technical training,” Pody explained. “We have been focusing on trying to get people to go into college. The governor believes we should get more money into our high schools for specific training so if students go into trades the schools would have money to train them.”
Hopes for help from the state in the DeKalb County school building program were dashed as Pody responded to a question from Commissioner Bruce Malone about state assistance on capital projects such as the planned addition of a new school. Pody explained the state money would be for technical education and teacher salary and benefits.
