Applications Sought for New Fairhope School Committee

STANKOSKI AND KIGREA AGREE TO SERVE

Mayor Kant and the City Council are asking interested members of the community to apply to serve on the  new Education Advisory Committee, proposed  to study ways the city could help local cash-strapped Baldwin County schools: some relevant education-related experience preferred. It was previously announced non-residents living outside the city limits in the feeder pattern should be considered as well.

Councilmembers Stankoski and Kingrea agreed to be the council's representatives on the committee and it was decided a member of the city's Financial Advisory Committee should be included as well.

Committee applications are available via the city's website or city clerk's office.



MAYOR NOMINATES McBREARTY CHAIRMAN

Mayor Kant called the Committee a "good idea" and nominated Cynthia McBrearty as its Chairman; but she declined.

Kant: " ... since 1983 ... we've had 2 (such) committees ... to bring a list of items and concerns to the council ... from teachers and students ... that need to be addressed ...  ."



CITIZEN OPPOSES FORMING COMMITTEE

Emily Bell said she and her organization opposed creating the committee but, if it were to be formed, sought representation on it.




SUPPORTERS URGE HASTE

FEAR POLITICAL GRIDLOCK

McBrearty and another proponent urged the city "show leadership" and move forward to appoint committee members, preferably from a previously submitted list of 12 names of prominent citizens.

McBreaty: "We ask this not become a political committee ... and all they do is in-fight ... we need professionals with an education background (as members) ... ." She added no active members of organizations such as FEEF, Good 2 Great, Baldwin County Schools, etc., should be included on the committee.

An unidentified proponent said educators at the school were "begging for an ear" and "we need to get going on this as quickly as we can."

Citizen: "We can't do this with political gamesmanship."




Comments

Anonymous said…
Well now...

Mixon says he wants to keep the politics out of this discussion and that it is just a "coincidence" that the council adopted the G2G EAC idea.

Not political? Yet he takes the idea of a group who has a political agenda (forming a city school system).

Kingrea and Stankowski are appointed as the council reps for this committee. Both support the G2G proposal.

And now, the mayor has appointed Cindy McB. - a member of the G2G group as the chairperson without even looking at the applications of others who may be interested and qualified.

Coincidence? I think not.

Fairhope citizens had better wake up and pay attention to what is going on down at city hall.
Anonymous said…
Ha ha. Nothing ever gets done in this town without political gamesmanship!
Anonymous said…
Maybe Dr. Warner should serve since he needs to use his PHD in Urban Studies
Anonymous said…
Still not clear why we need this committee.

If there is a pot of extra money - tell the principals from each of the schools to submit their requests. It's city money so the council should be responsible for how it is spent - not delegate their responsibility to a committee.

This is nothing more than a smoke screen for giving Good2Great what they want.
Anonymous said…
Some body thinks Fairhopers have endlessly deep pockets it seems.
Anonymous said…
I hear Bob Callahan is not too happy about being included in this little group.