Dear Editor,
The race for Greene Board of Education (BOE) District 4 continues to be contentious, unusually so for a small Southern community where we all try to live in harmony.
But Maggie Combs, who is challenging the incumbent Dr. Maggie Kjer, seems to believe the ends justify the means.
She has continued to misrepresent her opponent’s positions and the facts. Maggie Combs has sent out two additional campaign flyers throughout Greene County. I dispute several of her claims.
Combs says, “The Greene County BOE released their long-term plan, which called for closing LOA and merging it with other Greene County Schools.”
There is no such plan, and nobody on the Greene County School Governance, not the superintendent, not the BOE chair, and not any of the BOE members are in favor of anything but supporting LOA’s independence. Each BOE member, including Kjer, has stated this repeatedly for months. Yet Combs and her followers keep harping on this to create fear and get votes.
Combs says, “She (Kjer) voted to shut down all public comment at board meetings.” That's not true! The BOE, including Kjer, changed the procedures for all citizens to participate in BOE meetings to eliminate a chaotic situation where people were disrupting business that needed to be conducted.
The new procedure allows many opportunities for parents and others to be involved. In addition, BOE members remain after the BOE meeting and circulate with attendees to address questions and suggestions. Furthermore, under the BOE’s direction, Greene County Schools have implemented several other programs to increase parent involvement, and they are working.
Combs says, “I will deliver a property tax rebate for senior citizens which is long overdue.” This is wrong. It is not the domain of Combs (if elected) or the BOE that sets tax policy or rates. It is the responsibility of the Greene Board of Commissioners. The BOE can set the millage rate as a basis for the tax rate, and it should be noted that the current BOE has reduced the millage rate every year since 2018. It is naïve to suggest this because any reduction in tax receipts from senior citizens would surely increase the tax rate for everyone else.
Combs presents a paraphrased comment that “Greene County’s Board of Education ranked a failure by the Georgia Department of Education.”
In fact, The Greene BOE has been recognized as an Exemplary Board by the Georgia School Board Foundation and by the Georgia DOE for excellence in Accounting Practices.
If you want honesty and expertise, vote for Dr. Maggie Kjer for BOE District 4.
Gerry Giesler, Greensboro