Latest news with #MuscogeeCountySchoolDistrict
Yahoo
19-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
‘Once a Hawk, Always a Hawk': Hardaway High School dedicates new offices to former principals
COLUMBUS, Ga. () — In a heartfelt ceremony, three former principals of Hardaway High School were given high honors — their names forever engraved on the school's newest offices. In the ceremony that dedicated the school's renovated counselor's office, discipline office and new front offices, guests shared emotional and funny stories about former principals Roger Hatcher (1986-1999), Keith Seifert (1999-2005) and Matt Bell (2005-2020). Hardaway High's improvements focused on enhancing learning facilities and making the school safer. The Muscogee County School District used E-SPLOST sales tax to complete the changes. Hardaway High, standing for 60 years, was noted by the district as a school that needed a facelift. The current principal, Maurdrice McNeil, said the renovations began after spring break last school year and were finished about a month ago. 'I think the sense of pride that there haven't been any new renovations here in quite a while. So just the pride that we have, separates us from other schools.' said Principal McNeil. Even though the renovated offices and polished new additions shine bright throughout the school, what stands out the most is the pride still held by Hardaway's previous leadership. Nearly all their speeches included gratitude for the school, appreciation for the experiences and a booming 'Go Hawks!' Bell, who was principal for 15 years and now serves as an MCSD regional chief officer, supervising 18 schools, noted why the stories and the ceremony meant so much to him personally. 'The guidance office is very significant,' Bell said. 'Building relationships is a very important part of my career and everything that we do. This is a people business, and a lot of great things happen in the guidance counselor's office, so I'm deeply honored to have the guidance counselor's suite named after me.' The new additions to the school also have some current students excited. 'To me this ceremony just shows me how I am a part of a legacy,' said senior and Miss Hardaway Za'Nyla Douglas. 'Through all the principals that care for the students and how much dedication and time they put into us. For the school, it shows a reflection of the history that this school has endured and how much progress they've made.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Muscogee County School District and the City of Columbus discuss opting-out of floating homestead exemption
COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) — Both the Muscogee County School District and Columbus City officials held meetings on Monday to discuss opting – out of House Bill 581. House Bill 581 passed overwhelmingly in November across the state of Georgia. This bill creates a 'floating' homestead exemption for property taxes on homestead properties. However, the legislation includes a provision that allows counties, consolidated governments, municipalities, and local school districts to opt- in or out based on what they believe is best for their communities. Columbus City Manager Isaiah Hugley says 61.5% of Muscogee County citizens voted in favor of the exemption while 38.5% voted against it in November. The Muscogee County School Board discussed opting – out at Monday's meeting. Chair of the Muscogee County School Board Patricia Hugley-Green says, 'Due to our local frozen assessment homestead, the statewide floating homestead is of no benefit to the vast majority of our homeowners and will be confusing and potentially costly to implement with zero benefit to the majority of taxpayers.' Those in attendance posed no opposition to the board's intent to opt- out. In Columbus City Council Chambers, Tax Assessor Suzanne Widenhouse explained if council chooses to opt- out it has no effect on the current frozen homestead and allows Muscogee County to keep control of the homestead instead of the state. 'Opting out keeps things more stable,' Widenhouse explains. '…not being set by state and not being changed by the state and not using a national index that's not even Georgia specific or better Muscogee County Specific.' Widenhouse says opting out would allow for Columbus officials to put in place a floating homestead at a later date that would be more suitable for Columbus residents. 'If values really tanked with the floating homestead in place, it's not that taxes are going to go down. We're not giving up services. Citizens don't want to give up services. We like our fire department. We like our police department. We like having nice roads. We like having garbage pickup. We like having water and sewer and those things. Those aren't going away, but they have to be paid for somehow, which means budget cuts or increases to the mileage rate, so opting out keeps things more stable.' Suzanne Widenhouse, Columbus Tax Assessor Widenhouse informed those in attendance how the state has already begun changing the verbiage of the legislation. 'The first one was changing the opt-out period. Trying to extend it a little bit, give counties a little more time,' Widenhouse details. '…the latest language on that bill is talking about changing actual provisions of this floating homestead and, you know, changing how many acres and adding in being able to apply for Homestead during appeal periods and things of that nature.' Members of the community shared the floor asking questions, voicing their concerns, and sharing their support for Columbus to opt-out. 'Leave the freeze like it is and if y'all could come up with a new provision for the floating homestead that's actually a little more catered to the citizens instead of the legislature are about raising up everything because like we talked about this morning, everything goes up. Even though they say it's going down it goes down at a slow pace, though but when it comes or them to raise anything it happens dramatically, and it takes a toll it on the citizens to try to adjust to that. By the time we adjust to it, they tacking on to it again.' Columbus Resident, Bunker Hill Widenhouse says the current CPI is unknown as the state is proposing to use the national CPI rate that would change every year. 'We won't know that because it will not apply to 2025,' Widenhouse explains. 'The first year of the CPI would go into effect would be 2026.' The Muscogee County School Board and the City of Columbus will hold more meetings regarding opting-out throughout February. The city of Columbus will hold the next meeting on Tuesday, February 11 at 9 a.m. during the City Council Meeting. The Muscogee County School Board will hold two more on Tuesday, February 18 at 12 p.m. and 6 p.m. at the Public Education Center on Macon Road. The opt-out period runs from January 1st to March 1st. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
