COVINGTON, Ga. — Anderson Bailey will complete the late Almond Turner’s term representing District 4 on the Newton County Schools Board of Education.

Bailey was unanimously approved to fill the vacant seat during the board’s meeting Tuesday night. He will hold the position through Dec. 31 — the end of Turner’s term. Turner was tragically killed in November 2019.

The Newton County native and retired military veteran is currently running unopposed as a Democrat for the District 4 seat in the General Election on Nov. 3. No Republican candidate qualified.

In the Aug. 11 runoff election, Bailey received 59% of the vote to defeat Jeffrey Johnson, who received 41% of the vote.

As presumptive winner, Bailey will begin his own term in January.

Bailey served in the U.S. Army and Georgia Army National Guard for several years. He was employed by the city of Covington for 14 years as a meter reader. Bailey has been a GHSA multicounty basketball official for more than 25 years, has volunteered as a coach, referee and umpire with the Newton County Recreation Department for many years and has earned Certification of Local Government Management from the University of Georgia Carl Vinson Institute of Government. He also serves as Minister of Music at Murray C.M.E. Church in Covington.

Bailey is married to Mrs. Angela Bailey; they will celebrate 38 years of marriage this November. The Baileys have three children—Courtney, Yasmine, and Anderico –and two grandchildren—Jaylin Gunn and Parker Bailey. 

District 4 stretches from Alcovy Road near I-20 in the north to South Salem Elementary School in the south and includes north central Covington and much of the city of Oxford.

Superintendent Samantha Fuhrey said Bailey would tentatively be sworn in Thursday, Sept. 24.

“While we miss Mr. Turner tremendously, we know he would want us to move forward to assure the residents of Newton County’s District 4 are represented on our board,” said Fuhrey. “We look forward to working with Mr. Bailey, and we welcome him wholeheartedly to the NCSS team.”

In other business, the board approved the following business items:

• A financial report from the superintendent that showed 

1. The special-purpose local-option for education sales tax (ESPLOST) V distribution for July was $1,347,855, which was an increase of $54,527 from the previous month. The average for the first seven months of ESPLOST V collections is $1,247,170. The monthly average for ESPLOST IV was $1,008,482.
2. The title ad valorem tax (TAVT) collection for July was $541,367.
3. Salaries and benefits for August for ten month employees are accrued into fiscal year 2020 as these payments are for work for the 2019-2020 school year. Most July and August QBE revenues apply to these salaries and benefits and have also been accrued into fiscal year 2020.
4. Expenditures which relate to fiscal year 2020 continue to be processed.
5. The school system is anticipating final collections for 2020 from the tax commissioner.
6. The final ending fund balance will be available at the October board meeting.

• An enrollment report from the superintendent that showed there were 18,869 enrolled in Newton County Schools for 2020-2021 (592 in pre-K; 1,097 in kindergarten; 1,329 in 1st; 1,304 in 2nd; 1,305 in 3rd; 1,338 in 4th; 1,329 in 5th; 1,401 in 6th; 1,417 in 7th; 1,484 in 8th; 1,640 in 9th; 1,606 in 10th; 1,443 in 11th; 1,281 in 12th).
• The purchase of a membership in the Cognia Network in the amount of $28,800, paid for from the General Fund.
• The purchase of teacher engagement services needed from Teach Upbeat, LLC, of Brooklyn, New York. The contract value was $33,600.
• The identification of certain items to be declared surplus property and be disposed of per Board Police DO.
• The purchase of numerous whiteboards from School Outfitters of Cincinnati, Ohio, in the amount of $31,855.90.
• The purchase of PBIS Rewards software needed for the school system from PBIS Rewards of Evansville, Indiana. The total contract value was $30,101.58.
• The purchase of laptop computers and accessories from Dell Marketing L.P. of Round Rock, Texas, in the amount of $99,411.62.
• The purchase of educational resources from Nearpod of Dania Beach, Florida. The total contract value was $49,040.00.
• The purchase of virtual tutoring services from Focus Care, Inc. (DBA FEV Tutor, Inc.) in the amount of $220,000.
• The purchase of Intelitek's Foundations of STEM content and materials from Learning Labs, Inc. of Calhoun, Georgia.  The estimated total cost was $36,000.
• Personnel matters discussed in executive session.