2011 - 09-19-2011 Reg. Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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the matter, the judge or adjudicator in the case (in which the School District was suing the County for more funds to run the district) required a financial review of the school district. The financial review was comprehensive and pointed out great savings in the millions of dollars, which could be realized by the school district and in turn the county, over a five year period and beyond, which in an of itself was good if not predictable. How realistic and feasible is another question to which I do not have an answer. Another question I would raise: was the financial review implemented and, four years later, have any of the millions of dollars in savings prescribed, been realized and if so to what degree? This should be determined, irrefutably by some independent authority, before any further consideration of this matter. It is my understanding that the school district eventually won the case against the Board of County Commissioners. Given the circumstances surrounding this initiative, I do not feel that what may very well be enacted today is in the best interest of the citizens of Lee County. Instead, it should be voted down or tabled indefinitely until all parties to the study come willingly and under no duress or threats of future funding, to consider together a process of strategic planning, if that is mutually agreeable, that is based on the ample data that presently exist, strategic planning always toward the goal of educational improvements and efficiencies where they can be realized without causing a deleterious result to the school system; where positive change can be predicated on outcomes that are positive and affordable, all of this for the good of the tax payers of Lee County and the children of Lee County who depend on elected leaders, like us, to make wise choices about their education and the overall well being of our community. Respectfully Richard Hayes