Board of Education Wants Pow Wow With Commissioners

The Lee County Board of Education, has invited the Lee County Board of Commissioners to a joint work session on March 10, 2008, at 5 p.m. in the Heins Education Building Assembly Room. The invitation came in the form of a letter from Board of Education Chair Bill Tatum to County Commissioner Chair Bob Brown.

The letter suggests that the commissioners and board of education discuss "future educational opportunities in meeting the emerging diversity of our student population, the 2008-09 through 2012-13 Capital Improvement Program, and consensus regarding demolition of the science building as it relates to student and faculty concerns."

The demotion of the science building refers to money the Board of Education has for the demolition of the science building as a step toward to renovation of Lee Senior High, but school leaders and students are balking at the a temporary replacement of the science building with mobile units at a cost of $91,000.

After delivery of the initial letter, the school board chairman had an email sent to the commissioners asking to add "collaborative strategy on the promotion of the quarter-cent sales tax."---an indirect reference to the renovation of Lee County High School.

Many of the groups and individuals who supported the 1/4 sales and use tax referendum did so on the basis of the funds going for the renovation of Lee Senior High, but this was stripped from a resolution adopted by the county commissioners at the eleventh hour, angering many of the sales tax proponents. (See the earlier post on this.)

According to an unscientific poll posted on the Sanford Herald's web site, the sales and use tax has not met with a favorable response. At the time of this post, the poll is holding steady with more than 60% opposing the tax . Support gained from making it clear that some of the proceeds would go to Lee County Senior High would tighten the margin but not change the outcome. As of the time of this post, the Board of Commissioners had not decided whether or not to accept the invitation of the Board of Education. Recent relations between the two boards have been icy at best. Look for an update when the response from the commissioners, expected today, is finalized.

Update: Commissioners' Response Is Mostly "POW"
Commission Chairman Bob Brown fired back a letter that set a different time and place for the meeting and insisted that the agenda would be set by him and the county manager. The reply makes clear that the most contentious subject--the Capital Improvement Plan is off limits at the meeting. The letter asks for confirmation that the Board of Education will "adhere to the terms." If the meeting takes place it will be on Monday, March 24, at 5pm in the Wicker Conference Room of the Government Center.