Councilmember Quinn has proposed a new committee be formed to study the finances of the proposed Municipal School System.
Quinn: "Before we can make any decisions . . . as a council or community . . . need to know the numbers . . . how it would be funded . . . how to financially incorporate the feeder system."
Quinn said the new study would be accomplished by volunteers at no cost to the city; and Dr. Ira Harvey (who had done a study last year) had agreed to participate as well.
Ken Cole, a financial advisor with Merril Lynch, had agreed to participate she said, to "look at Harvey's information, and how we would move forward."
After some debate, it was decided to consider the matter more closely at a future council work session.
FURTHER COUNCIL COMMENTS
Quinn and Councilman Stankoski made some additional remarks later.
Quinn:
"The City School System conversation has been renewed with vigor....but before anyone can say with surety that they are for a city system or not....we need the final dollar amount it would take to run a system. The purpose would be to take the financial picture that Dr. Harvey presented the city....digest it thoroughly....decide the actual amount of money you would really need for a school system based on a better system than the one we have presently....put all those numbers together and come up with an actual snapshot of what it would take to run a city school system per year. Also...within that equation would be the feeder pattern....digest the how's and then the financial implications of the feeder pattern on a city school system. Then discuss what would the recommendation be to the council on how to get the amount of money you would need for a city school system, depending on the public meetings, comments and deliberative sessions of this group...would it be sales tax....ad valor um tax....a combination of both....other taxes/fees....what would the mix be...and what their recommendation would be on moving forward or not. After that review and discussion....bring those recommendations back to the council. It would then be in their hands to make a determination on a vote from the citizens.
The people I had talked with about being on this committee were:
Vince Boothe...long time resident, graduate of Fairhope High School, past BCBE member for the Fairhope area, business man with a child in the Fairhope system but lives in the feeder pattern
Terri Bishop....long time resident, past School PTO President for the Newton School, has children in the Fairhope system but lives in the feeder pattern
Ken Cole.....resident of Fairhope, Merrill Lyncy Investment Banker
Diana Brewer....long time resident of Fairhope, Director of FEEF, children in the Fairhope system
Charles Durgin...long time resident of Fairhope, Director of the Rotary Youth Club on Young Street in Fairhope
2 council members
Finance Advisory Chairman as liaison"
Stankoski:
"if the committee can come to agreement as to financing: how much will it cost and where will the funds come from, feeder pattern: city limits or existing feeder system with grandfathering of family members, then submit a recommendation to council to put on a city wide referendum for an approval or denial by voters. The voters would have the final word. I believe , if done right, that Fairhope can have a superior school system."
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