Note: The handout material mentioned here is listed at the end of the article.

FAIRHOPE, Ala. — Three Baldwin County commissioners said this week they would support a referendum for a 1-cent sale tax in the county to address the current school funding crisis.

But the question asked of Commissioners David Ed Bishop, Frank Burt and Charles Gruber at a town hall meeting Tuesday was whether they would support a 1-cent sales tax, without any mention of a referendum, especially if linked to a study showing how the money would be spent.

The commission is authorized to pass a sales tax without first holding a referendum, which is required for a property tax increase.

“I also would support one with a referendum,” said Gruber, after Bishop said he would support a referendum for either a sales or property tax increase. “The people need to decide, not just four commissioners.”

Bishop said a study should be required, and that a referendum could be held within two to three months.

“We don’t want to lose sight of the people who will have to vote on it,” Burt said. “But I think they’re willing to do it, though it will be a sacrifice.”

The meeting at J. Larry Newton School was organized by several parents of Fairhope students and attended by a number of public officials, including Superintendent Faron Hollinger, who took prepared questions on funding, personnel and future planning issues facing the county school system.

“What’s going to happen to our schools if we get no extra revenue?” Bishop asked.

A fact sheet showing the number of teachers and personnel cuts in Fairhope schools during the past two years was made available to the approximately 85 people who attended the meeting.

One topic that did not come up during the meeting was whether Fairhope should form a separate school system independent of county schools.

That issue was raised in a letter to the Fairhope City Council in September, resulting in $25,000 being added to the budget this year to possibly fund a study on the feasibility of creating a Fairhope City School System.

The council has set a meeting on that issue at 5 p.m., Monday, Nov. 9, at the Fairhope Civic Center.

During the discussion of a county tax increase, several officials mentioned a poll sponsored by the Alabama Education Association, showing that a majority of county citizens would support a sales tax it it were passed through a referendum.

But one Fairhope resident who has two children in local public schools would probably not be among them.

“If we give them the tax increase, how can we trust them to spend it,” asked Doug Lamplugh, a retired federal law enforcement officer who sought unsuccessfully to become Fairhope’s new police chief this year. “Until they trim the necessary fat, I’m not for giving them a dime.”

Editor’s Note: The following information was gathered by Terri Bishop, PTO president at the J. Larry Newton School and given as a handout to those who attended the Nov. 3 school funding meeting held at JLN.

Fairhope High School

9-12th grades

1,300 students

335,000-square-foot building

plus two field houses and grounds

Losses:

16 Teachers

International Baccalaeurate Coordinator

Guidance Counselor

Guidance Clerk

3 Cafeteria Workers

3 Custodians, leaving 3 to maintain facility and grounds

Chorus and Drama program

Assistant Band Director

1 Bus Route

1 Bus Driver, who is a full-time sbustitute

Newspaper and Yearbook class for one term

2 paraprofessionals from the Jubilee Room

Class sizes increased from 24-25 to 32 per room

Teachers now clean their rooms except for the floors.

Approximately $563 every six weeks for garbage bags is spent from local school funds.

Fairhope Middle School

6-7th grades

About 960 students

156,000-square-foot building plus grounds

Losses:

5 Teachers

1 Custodial Worker, teachers now clean their rooms

1 Cafeteria Worker, principal, assistant principal, canteen worker and custodian help serve lunch.

1 Bus Route, causing a double route with children getting on the bus by 6:30 a.m. and home around 4:30 p.m.

Class sizes increased from 25-27 to 32-24 per room.

This increase in class size has threatened the ability of the teacers to teach using successful techniques such as cooperative learning groups.

Fairhope Intermediate School

4-5th grades

475 students on a 28-acre site.

Losses:

The past two years, FIS has lost 20 percent of its staff from 19 teachers down to 14 teachers.

Science and Computer Lab Instructor

PE Aide

No Instructional Aides

Half-time Library Aide

6 Cafeteria Workers including the manager serve 1,000 from FIS and the elementary school breakfast and lunch each day.

3 Custodians (one works as a PE aide as the PE teacher teaches 100 students per class without help)

Class sizes average 33 students per class.

1 teacher is hired as a full-time substitute.

Fairhope Elementary School

2-3rd grades

498 students

Losses:

4 Teacher units

4 Aides

1/2 of a Library Aide

School receives $42,575 in direct state funding.

Fairhope K-1 Center

Kindergarten and 1st grade

464 students

Losses:

Assistant Principal

Counselor is part-time

1 Custodian

1 Cafeteria Worker

PE Aide

Library Media Aide

1 Kindergarten Teacher

2 Special Education Paraprofessionals

J. Larry Newton School

Kindergarten through 6th grade

600 students

97,02-Square-foot building and 40-acres site

Losses:

3 Teacher Units, 1 Classified and 1/2-time Art and Music unit lost in May 2008

6 Teacher and 2 Classified units lost in May 2009

5 Classified units lost in September 2009

1 Bus Route

Currently 3 Custodians, 4 Cafeteria employees and 4 Bus Drivers remain.

Effective October 2009, received no state funds for library, technology, classroom instructional supplies, professional development and common purchases - a loss of $44,325.

Currently, the school is paying for DIBELS assessment 3-6 and progress monitoring for K-6.

Garbage bags, mops, brooms, stripper, was, paint, $6,000 annually.

Library management system, $620 annually.