Quiggle Calls Out Commissioner's On Schools

None Take His Challenge To Give Specifics on High School Renovation

Commissioner John Quiggle brought a sleepy meeting of the Lee County Commissioners back to life Monday by challenging them each of them "to have the courage to stand up and declare our intentions today by announcing our support for the renovation of Lee County Senior High School and the classroom building for the Community College." Quiggle also expressed disappointment at the resolution (read about it here) that he and other commissioners had passed at the last meeting concerning the 1/4 sales tax referendum. Quiggle stated that the lack of a statement committing to renovations at Lee County High School and the community college had generated a lot of questions from the public. (Read Quiggle's Prepared Statement Here)

Commissioners Rieves, Brown, Lemmond, and Kelly responded to Quiggle's remarks but none were willing to give s specific commitment to the projects. Commissioner's Rieves remarks were the most straightforward saying that he was not ready to commit to an particular project. Chairman Brown noted that any new resolution would have to go first to the Finance Committee and that the resolution had passed by a unanimous vote. Since it was the Finance Committee that stripped out the references to Lee Senior High from ah earlier resolution, it is unlikely that any effort by Quiggle to get changes in the resolution would see the light of day.

Commissioner's Lemmond and Kelly made statements indicating their concern for the high school and reminding everyone again that their could be no chance of either project if the 1/4 sales tax did pass. Neither, however, made specific commitments.

Commissioners Shook and Pascal made no comments.

Quiggle noted that most speakers for the sales tax had based their support on the expectation that the increased revenue would enable the renovations at Lee County High School. Comments during the public comment section of the meting indicated that lack of confidence in the Commissioner's actual plans for the money is eroding the support of some groups who had previously supported the tax.