Josh Troy
The Press Register
School taxes to Clarksdale Collegiate Public Charter School bit into Clarksdale Municipal School District’s budget to the tune of $252,456.72 this year.
That leaves superintendent Dr. Earl Joe Nelson with major financial decisions to make.
“I wasn’t expecting that much money based on last year’s amount,” Nelson said. “It does have an effect on making decisions in the district based on resources.
“The time of year that amount hits, that’s a quarter of a million dollars,” he explained. So that’s a quarter of a million dollars of decisions you can’t make in your district – you know repairs to buildings, things of that nature that are important to keep things going.”
Nelson, who is in his first year as the CMSD superintendent, said the 2018-19 payment to Clarksdale Collegiate Public Charter School was approximately $147,000.
Mississippi charter schools receive payments every January from traditional public school districts their students reside in from ad valorum or property taxes. The payments came to around $2,000 per student.
The board officially approved the payment during the Jan. 23 monthly meeting.
Clarksdale Collegiate Public Charter School enrolled students in kindergarten through second grade in 2018-19. This year, kindergarteners through third graders are at the school and that may be part of the funding increase. The school will continue to add a grade each year until eighth graders are enrolled.
Nelson does not know how much CMSD will see go to Clarksdale Collegiate Public Charter School in the coming years.
“You can never prepare for it because you find out by the time school starts or around November how many kids are there that belong to Clarksdale,” Nelson said. “Of course, you want those numbers to be less. It’s kind of waiting to see what the numbers are to know how much money you have to pay.”
Nelson did say he is not opposed to charter schools.
“I think charter is needed in some situations based on our accountability, based on the law,” he said. “That’s why we have a charter. I don’t have any ill feelings about charter at all. I just hope that we hold all of our schools in Mississippi to the same accountability as the public schools.”
Stadium construction
A new stadium is being constructed for the football team at Clarksdale High School and Nelson reported it is still on schedule to open by the beginning of the 2020 season.
The Wildcats have played at Crumpton Field in previous years. There will also be a track at the stadium for Clarksdale to host meets.
The board approved payments to Architecture South out of Tupelo for $5,138.53 and Roberts Builders Inc. out of Ripley for $323,663.10. Architecture South is ahead of schedule with its work, while Roberts Builders Inc. is behind.
“One group we’re way ahead that’s responsible for the buildings and the excavators we’re way behind,” Nelson said.
Delays will not stop the opening of the stadium.
“In 2020, the football team will be playing there,” Nelson said.
Nelson explained where work is ahead and behind.
“When I say we’re ahead, they’re ahead of the schedule of the buildings being complete,” Nelson said.
The restrooms and concession stands should be ready around March. He said the dressing room and weight facility should be ready by May.
Installing a track will take longer than expected.
“We don’t have the road poured in yet,” Nelson said. “We don’t have the curbing in. We have to have curbing in for the track. We’re going to have a track there. Those are some things excavators are working on that they’re behind.”
