Three Important Issues From Tonight's Special Board Meeting

Below are the draft minutes from tonight's special school board meeting from Holly Dewees, District Recording Secretary.

I want to point out that three big issues were addressed tonight, and are more fully covered in Mrs. Dewees' notes below.

1. First--The board approved the request from the District Operations Department to purchase land downtown for a brand new, state of the art elementary school. background on this issue here:

http://jeffbergoshblog.blogspot.com/2008/07/potential-site-identified-for-new.html

2. Second--the board compelled----via a 5-0 vote-the superintendent to look into a compromise on the two-mile walk issue. We are all concerned about student safety and believe a compromise on this issue can be found. Background on this issue here:

http://jeffbergoshblog.blogspot.com/2008/08/changes-in-walking-distance-to-school.html

Third, the board voted to roll back the millage rate on local property owners, so that we will not be increasing anyone's taxes this year, in the midst of our budget crisis.

See the draft notes from tonight's meeting, below.


DRAFT
THE SCHOOL BOARD OF
ESCAMBIA COUNTY, FLORIDA
(DRAFT) MINUTES, AUGUST 6, 2008
The School Board of Escambia County, Florida, convened in Special Meeting at 4:00 p.m., in the Board
Room, at the Dr. Vernon McDaniel Building, 215 West Garden Street, Pensacola, Florida, with the following present:


Chair: Mrs. Patricia Hightower
Vice Chair: Mr. Pete Gindl, Sr.
Board Members: Mr. Jeff Bergosh
Mr. Gerald Boone
Mrs. Claudia BrownCurry
School Board General Counsel: Mrs. Donna Sessions Waters
Superintendent of Schools: Mr. Jim Paul

I. CALL TO ORDER/ADOPTION OF AGENDA
Mrs. Hightower called the Special Meeting to order at 4:03 p.m. Mr. Gindl and Mr. Bergosh each
indicated that they had an item they wished to address prior to the “Public Forum” section of the agenda.
Motion by Mr. Gindl, seconded by Mrs. BrownCurry,
to adopt the agenda (as amended), was approved
unanimously.
II. OPERATIONS
1. Real Property Sale and Purchase Contract between Gulf Power Company and the School Board ofEscambia County, Florida Presentation by Mr. Shawn Dennis, Assistant Superintendent for Operations (handout provided).
The following speakers requested to address the Board regarding this issue:

Mike Wiggins,
ElmerJenkins,
Sandra J. Ward,
Tara Johnson, and
Sheree CagleMauldin.
Each Board Member expressed support of initiative.
Motion was made by Mr. Boone, seconded by Mr. Bergosh, to approve the real property sale and purchase contract between Gulf Power Company and the School Board of Escambia County, Florida.
Motion carried unanimously.
CORRECTED 2. Utility Easement and Temporary Construction Easement
Motion was made by Mr. Bergosh, seconded by Mrs. BrownCurry,
to approve a Utility Easement and Temporary Construction Easement, carried unanimously.
ADD – Item from Mr. Gindl regarding Transportation
DRAFT Motion was made by Mr. Gindl and seconded by Mr. Bergosh, to ask the Superintendent and his staff to study the transportation issue with regard to the 2 mile
walk for middle and high school students.
{DISCUSSION}

Motion carried unanimously.
ADD – Item from Mr. Bergosh regarding Millage Rate
{DISCUSSION} Motion was made by Mr. Bergosh and seconded by Mrs. Hightower, to direct the Superintendent to bring to the September 16, 2008 Special Meeting, a reduction in the millage rate, such that the total millage rate will not increase over the 20072008
level; and that the millage reduction will come from the Capital Outlay portion. {DISCUSSION}

Motion was approved
unanimously.
III. PUBLIC FORUM
Mrs. Hightower called for public forum; however, there were no speakers.
IV. ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business, the Special Meeting adjourned at 5:30 p.m.