Macon-Bibb Approves Funding for Truancy Officer and Private School Security Cameras
On Tuesday, July 15, the Macon-Bibb County Commission approved the use of revenue generated from school zone speeding cameras to fund two new school safety initiatives totaling over $454,000.
Commissioners voted to allocate $345,000 to fund a truancy officer for the Bibb County School District (BCSD) for a three-year term. The officer will be responsible for monitoring and addressing student absenteeism, investigating the causes of unexcused absences, and working with families to improve attendance.
“This is something I think we certainly need in our community. If we can’t get kids in their seats, we can’t get them educated. If we can’t get them educated, then we can’t have an educated workforce,” said Mayor Lester Miller. “This can also lead to unfortunate events and patterns if our kids are not in school.”
Bibb County School Superintendent Dr. Dan Sims expressed gratitude for the partnership. “We continue to appreciate the Mayor and our government for supporting our District,” Sims said. “For them to align with one of our priorities is truly commendable and will help us improve outcomes for our community.”
The second item approved was $109,138.58 for Windsor Academy, a private school in Macon-Bibb County, to purchase and install security camera systems on its campus. The school had requested funds for the security upgrade.
Since the implementation of automated school zone cameras in 2022, Macon-Bibb has used the revenue from speed violations to support a range of safety projects, including:
- Public safety employee salary increases
- School Resource Officer and Crossing Guard salaries
- School security cameras and systems
- Crosswalk installation and improvements
- Flock, Verkada, and Adapt to Solve cameras to assist law enforcement
- Knox boxes for emergency school access
- School zone flashing lights
- Public safety vehicles and other equipment
