MARIETTA - The Marietta school board is expected to meet at least two more times before deciding on plans for a potential third Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax, board member Randy Weiner said Wednesday afternoon.

The board is expected to have an in-depth conversation about how a SPLOST III would be spent at a work session Friday afternoon. Cobb County School District analysts have said SPLOST III, if approved by voters, should bring in about $59 million for Marietta. But last week, Danny Smith, director of support for Marietta, said he thinks downturns in the economy mean Marietta would get $55 million or less.

"We had a lot of information given to us a week ago," Weiner said.

Friday, the Marietta school board found out that it would take about $42 million to completely pay off the school system's bond debt, including interest. In early April, district officials estimated debt payoff at $37.7 million.

Additional information about the Marietta school system's debt could change some board member's ideas of how SPLOST III should be divided up, Weiner said. His main priorities are reducing debt, renovations at the Marietta Sixth Grade Academy, safety and security, and "technology to further classroom instruction," Weiner said.

"Clearly, (I want) the most to go toward debt reduction. We will pay down bond debt as much as possible, still leaving room for the needs of the system. Whether that's 100 percent of the debt-that's still something the board has to work through. Personally, I think there will be a balance left on the debt. I expect it to be 10 million or under," he said.

Marietta Superintendent Dr. Emily Lembeck has proposed putting between $37.7 million and $18.2 million toward reducing the school system's debt.

A proposal suggested at the beginning of April put $10.5 million toward construction, $9.5 million toward technology, $2.9 million for school security, and $5.6 million on other various items. There is also an estimated $8.2 million that the board must decide how to spend. Ideas include building an auditorium at Marietta High School.

Weiner said he thinks the technology budget suggested at the beginning of April-scaled down from original proposals that would put $14.9 million towards technology-is reasonable.

"I feel comfortable with the technology budget as it is," he said.

That would include putting things like interactive boards in most Marietta classrooms, he said.

"Five years down the road, we don't know if Smart Boards would be the most effective. I don't want to say I want a white board in every classroom - there might be something better down the road. (But) they're a great tool. We have them in a lot of classes and I would like to see them in more," Weiner said.

On Friday, the school board will also talk about the budget for the 2008 fiscal year, which begins July 1. Lembeck originally proposed a deficit budget with projected revenues of $82.97 million and estimated expenses of $86.88 million.

But in early April, board member Irene Berens said that Marietta does not usually end up with a red-ink budget, despite projections that make it appear so.

"If you look at our past history, we almost always end up with more in our reserves than is projected. I am assuming that history will hold true in this instance also," she said.

"It's something that should not continue and we will work to change the way those numbers are calculated," Weiner said. He believes the school board will approve a balanced budget.

efarnsworth@mdjonline.com

In other action, on Friday the board is also expected to:

-Approve a list of administrative candidates.

-Hear an update on disproportionate and positive behavior supports.

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