County Attorney Alison Rogers received the below email from School Board Attorney Ellen Odom yesterday:
"Good morning, Alison,
Ellen Odom"
The Pensacola News Journal called me on Tuesday to discuss the same issue for an article which will be forthcoming at some point, I would assume. Also on Tuesday, I received an email from the Republican Executive Committee alluding to an upcoming vote by the board to return to the elected superintendent model.
So everyone saw this coming.
What I told the PNJ on Tuesday of this week is the same thing I told Kevin Adams: If the school board votes to approve this item to be added to the primary election next year and asks us (Escambia County Commissioners) to add it, I will vote to do so. I believe the BCC will put this forward as we should. Although I am not necessarily supportive of the Elected Superintendent model---I believe if the school board votes for it to be added to the ballot, the citizens have the right to once again vote on it.
Although the citizens, by a razor thin margin, voted to change from elected to appointed in 2018 in an off-cycle election with a high Democratic turnout (first Desantis run for Governor versus Andrew Gillum which was also razor close)--this time around I believe the reversion to elected will win overwhelmingly if added to the presidential primary election in March of 2024--as this primary will have a HEAVY Republican turnout and HEAVY Republican interest as a Trump/DeSantis head to head on that same ballot looks more and more likely and certain every day. And local Republicans support the previous system of governance locally---Elected Superintendent/Elected School Board.
So if it goes to the presidential primary election in March of next year, just over a year from now, My prediction is it passes by a resounding, 60%-40% margin. You heard it here first.
Read the School Board Proclamation coming to their (School Board's) March 21st agenda, below.
11 comments:
But you won’t give the citizens the right to vote for a charter or other form of government for the county. Very hypocritical but not surprising
Anon 8:27--wrong. Two separate and distinct issues. Voting "Yes" to allow a school board resolution/initiative to go to the ballot is essentially a "ministerial" function for which we are essentially obligated to comply. In other words, or to "break it down "Barney-Style" for you--means they want it so we are the statutory road for such a question to reach the voters so we should and will show deference to them. Just read the statutes that speak to that, actually referenced in this post's attached pictures. You didn't read them, obviously. The other issue, which you conflate inaccurately and which is not the same, is my vehement disagreement with your position which is that the county administrator should be elected, rather than hired, by the entire population. That'd be a disaster----just as the ELECTED superintendent option was for our schools. The difference being that the current, duly elected school board appears poised to ask this question of the electorate, which (despite my disagreement) I'll NEVER stand in the way of. As to the county's governance structure model you so desperately seek--------You know you don't have three votes for that even on the BCC so your point is moot. You don't get it but hopefully my explanation for you helps you comprehend it. Now, go sell some stocks and mutual funds and churn some more commissions.......
Not sure who you think you were talking to, but that’s not what I do for a living. Your comment was that you think the voters should decide and in the case of the county commission, the five very self-centered county commissioners are standing in the way of that
I think the school board putting this up to a vote again is an over reaction blame shift political move.
Let's play hot potato.
I think the superintendent did a good job duringg COVID.
Nothing wrong with letting the book reviews go to lower committees.
I appreciate you clearly stating you would vote to put it on the ballot but really I don't think the BOCC has to give into the pressure and set a precedence for every little thing put to a democratic vote for every issue that comes up circle jerk.
We have a representative constitutional republic and we already decided we want an appointed superintendent.
I know you and K.A. are allies in the same district but he needs to calm down in my opinion.
Seems he is bouncing off the wall because of parental pressure.
The BOCC doesn't have to react to that.
We have never trusted the BOCC to appoint a school superintendent to begin with .the parents who send their children to public should have the right to VOTE for a The School Superintendent
Can someone explain why everyone's hair is on fire over Tim Smith? I have 3 kids in the school system and I've noticed nothing egregious. I wasn't a Malcolm Thomas fan for many reasons so perhaps I'm happy to have a centrist in the position.
Anonymous 7:50--The BOCC have no say whatsoever in who the superintendent is, because the BOCC do not appoint the superintendent, the School Board does. Two separate and distinct elected boards, each with their own duties and responsibilities. The school board members appoint a qualified superintendent from a nationwide search under the current model, and if such a superintendent does not meet expectations such a superintendent can be terminated immediately by the school board and a new one can be brought in who will be a better fit and who can meet the board's expectation for performance. Kind of like the SEC. If an SEC football team, say, Alabama for instance suddenly started losing games the Board of Governers of that school would fire their current coach and select the most highly qualified replacement for that position from a nationwide search of the most qualified candidates for the coaching position. They would have criteria and job requirments of the candidates and would demand a prospect have a track record of hard work and winning performance--because they want a winning coach and a winning team. They would not limit the search to ONLY Tuscaloosa county and have as the only criteria for the job be that the individual be 18 years old and live in Tuscaloosa County. They want the best, most qualified that's why. But apparently lots of folks think this position, the superintendent of Escambia County, should be political and the only requirement for the job be that the person live here in Escambia County and be at least 18 years old. Check, got it. Never mind that today, here in 2023 in America 99.5% of school districts do it (Select superintendents) the way Alabama selects their football coach---a board of governors selecting from a highly qualified, nationwide search. Nope, some just want a good ole boy, perhaps someone who has been anointed by the last good ole boy who held the position. Maybe even someone who has never even been a principal. Yep, that's what some people are DEMANDING dadgummit!!
I really hope you don't ask this to be put on the ballot again. Sometimes the best course of action is to do nothing. Let the drama pass.
It’s hilarious you worry about electing a school superintendent without the proper credentials when you and the rest of the BOCC actually lowered the job requirements so that your choice for County Administrator could get the job. You’re a hypocrite in the purest sense of the word
Wes was already doing the job 612. You sound like an angry little jerk.
6:12--I mean JC or AA (it's one of you two)--You confuse me for someone else if you think I am "worried" about anything. As a citizen I am concerned about the future of this school district which I went through and so did my three kids. And as it pertains to the County Administrator position as compared to the Superintendent position--yes, you are right. They both should be selected and appointed by an elected board so they can concentrate on their core duties and responsibilities---not politics, fundraising, and timing important decisions around the all powerful and most important thing--the election calendar. Don't you know that's why the rest of the world appoints a superintendent hired by the elected board, genius? And formal education does not a great county administrator make, I'll take someone with Wes' bonafides and work ethic any day over the previous one who was in way over her head--even with the education credentials she brought to the job. And don't worry your self into an apoplectic state------the school board will change this back to "Elected" and the voters will vote for that and we can once again have a "Boss Hogg" Superintendent that is the most politically popular guy in Escambia County. Heck, it could even be a guy who was a heck of a quarterback back in the day! Yay!!! That's all that counts, right? Dadgummit!! we want a VOTE on our superintendent AND our School Board so we can make our school board meaningless button pressers, DADGUMMIT!
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