Fairhope, Alabama
INTERIM CHAIRMAN PRESIDES
In the wake of the resignations of its chairman Kerry Flowers and at least one other member (Sumerlin), and the departure of council liaison Diana Brewer who was not re-elected, new chairman Brad Summersell and remaining members (plus two potential members) discussed how to proceed to implement the Akribos consultant's study recommendations to put the city's feeder pattern schools within the state's top ten.
The substance of a new presentation on the matter to be made to the newly-sworn-in council and mayor (in collaboration with principals and the BOE) is the priority now to "gauge their reaction and support" for the project.
Summersell: "We have got to get everybody on the same page ... behind this or else its dead in the water."
When asked by chairman Summersell about the Akribos report, council liaison Robert Brown (Brewer's replacement) said the new council had not yet had time to discuss the matter as a group yet.
Former mayor Kant had set "top ten" as the goal years ago according to member Riggs: city councils have never formerly weighed in and new mayor Wilson's views are not known yet either.
Riggs: "This cannot be implemented ... without the strong support of the city council, mayor, Board of Education, principals, and academic dean. Yes we want to do it? ... with top ten as the goal? ... a multi-year effort with a permanent funding source."
It was suggested a meeting with all stakeholders may be in order next, a retreat or charrette were mentioned as possibilities, but no action taken.
(Any such meeting would have to be open to the public to comply with state transparency laws)
Summersell: "We need to steer down in one direction ... collaboratively ... not veer off course."
How to use and distribute this year's $510K from the city (more then the usual $350K/yr) was also discussed but no decision made since the council has yet to approve the FY17 municipal budget composed by former Mayor Kant before he left office: Mayor Wilson told the council she intends to present her own budget to them as well.
 |
| Chairman Summersell, second from left |
INTERIM CHAIRMAN PRESIDES
In the wake of the resignations of its chairman Kerry Flowers and at least one other member (Sumerlin), and the departure of council liaison Diana Brewer who was not re-elected, new chairman Brad Summersell and remaining members (plus two potential members) discussed how to proceed to implement the Akribos consultant's study recommendations to put the city's feeder pattern schools within the state's top ten.
The substance of a new presentation on the matter to be made to the newly-sworn-in council and mayor (in collaboration with principals and the BOE) is the priority now to "gauge their reaction and support" for the project.
Summersell: "We have got to get everybody on the same page ... behind this or else its dead in the water."
When asked by chairman Summersell about the Akribos report, council liaison Robert Brown (Brewer's replacement) said the new council had not yet had time to discuss the matter as a group yet.
Former mayor Kant had set "top ten" as the goal years ago according to member Riggs: city councils have never formerly weighed in and new mayor Wilson's views are not known yet either.
Riggs: "This cannot be implemented ... without the strong support of the city council, mayor, Board of Education, principals, and academic dean. Yes we want to do it? ... with top ten as the goal? ... a multi-year effort with a permanent funding source."
It was suggested a meeting with all stakeholders may be in order next, a retreat or charrette were mentioned as possibilities, but no action taken.
(Any such meeting would have to be open to the public to comply with state transparency laws)
Summersell: "We need to steer down in one direction ... collaboratively ... not veer off course."
How to use and distribute this year's $510K from the city (more then the usual $350K/yr) was also discussed but no decision made since the council has yet to approve the FY17 municipal budget composed by former Mayor Kant before he left office: Mayor Wilson told the council she intends to present her own budget to them as well.
 |
| Councilman Robert Brown at right |
Comments
We are being played for fools by the sneaky School Board.
A shell game, taking with one hand and supplementing
the rest of the county with the other.
Fairhope City Schools is the answer.
That photographs says a lot about what is wrong here.