Updated May 9, 2019

During a work session Monday night of the Pulaski Board of Mayor and Aldermen members asked the city administrator to include $200,000 in the 2019-2020 draft budget to help improve the Giles County School System.

The contribution would be an effort to improve schools throughout the county.

Mayor Pat Ford said they are always talking about finding ways to compete and ways to get good teachers and keep good teachers, so I think it is time we decide to do something.

In 2008, the city issued a note to pay for renovations at Sam Davis Park. During that time citizens of Pulaski approved a sales tax increase of .25 percent to fund the note.

According to Ford, the note will be paid off in June and suggested using money generated by the extra sales tax to help the school system.

Ford told the board he would like to see them agree to give the school system $200,000 every year for the next five years. I know that is $1 million, but that will go a long way to help them get and keep good teachers or some of the many other things the school system needs.

Ford said the city can continue to encourage the county to work toward getting the sales tax passed countywide.

In the meantime this will show that we are a community  and we need to help each other,  Ford added. I know we have projects we want to do with that money, but we can still do some of the work.

Most of the aldermen in attendance at Monday’s work session agreed with Ford.

The board will vote on a  2019-2020 budget June 11.  The fiscal year for the city begins July 1.