Published: March 25, 2008 05:35 pm            

Update: Heated exchange about facilities planning punctuates school board meeting

Editor's note: this story has been updated to include quotes from JISD Trustee Pat McCown, who was unable to be reached for comment before publishing Tuesday.



By Raymond Billy

rbilly@jacksonvilleprogress.com

Does the Jacksonville Independent School District have a master facilities plan or doesn’t it? That was the subject of a spirited debate between Joe Casey and Pat McCown during Monday’s meeting of the JISD Board of Trustees.

During the Discussion/Report portion of the meeting, Casey raised concern the district did not have a clearly defined facilities plan that could be used as a guide post for responding to ever-changing circumstances.

Casey said in light of the recently announced plant closures of Alliance Data Systems and Astro Air Inc., eliminating a combined 620 jobs — JISD should have a facilities plan that could be tweaked to account for likely student enrollment losses resulting from families leaving the city for jobs elsewhere. Likewise, the district would also need a plan in the event of a business boom in Jacksonville, he said.

JISD needs “a plan that could be adapted and changed periodically — once a year or so when a major thing occurs that may alter the plan like the fact that we just lost some businesses and some families are going to leave our town,” Casey said. “And some may come; we don’t know. But, when big things like that happen, take a look at your plan and ask, ‘Where do we want to go?’”

While there is currently no document labeled “JISD 10-year Master Facilities Plan,” Superintendent Stuart Bird said there is an operating blueprint that spells out, in black and white terms, the direction of the district with regard to facilities upgrades and replacements. Bird pointed to a presentation given by CQL Inc. and Olson Research in October 2004, based on a study the groups conducted of existing JISD facilities. The presentation, which can be found at www.jisd.org by clicking the “Facilities Study/Bond Issue” link, gives several recommendations for maintaining and replacing existing facilities. Among the study’s recommendations and observations are:

• Redirect the use of West Side Elementary to house the Compass Center;

• Abandon the use of Joe Wright Elementary as an educational facility;

• Construct two new elementary schools each with a capacity of 700 to replace West Side as an elementary school and Joe Wright as an educational facility; and

• Jacksonville Middle School is currently in need of a new roof.

The school board voted Monday to hire P.I. Roofing to perform the suggested maintenance on the middle school. That maintenance and the suggested replacements of the elementary schools were part of previous bond proposals rejected by voters in 2005, 2006 and 2007.

“We’ve had a plan all along. But without a bond issue passing, the plan isn’t going to ever work,” Bird said.

Casey maintained his stance on the issue.

“I’d like to have a plan presented so the city knows where we’re moving, knows where we’re trying to go and have that articulated so that if somebody says ‘What is your plan?’ we can say ‘Here it is right here,’” he said.

Casey seemed to be calling for a plan that detailed the order, time-frame and circumstances under which facilities upgrades would be undertaken. While the 2004 study outlines extensive recommendations, it does not tell the district when or how to carry them out. In fact, the study tells the district to come up with a plan of its own.

“Create a master plan for Jacksonville ISD, addressing the direction, the priorities, and likely needs with a specific plan for the next 10 years,” the study reads.

But, McCown said, the district has presented a clear vision to Jacksonville regarding the future of JISD facilities. He said if preparing a bond package isn’t enough for the voters, he doesn’t know what will suffice.

“You haven’t got a plan and you’ll never have a plan because your plan was to pass the bond, go a few more years later and pass another bond and until you do that, you don’t have a plan,” McCown said.

Casey wasn’t convinced.

“I’ve read [the 2004 study] and I’m not sure I understand the plan,” Casey said.

“I’m not sure I understand it and I sit in this seat. I’m sure I’m not the only one.”

Bird said he didn’t understand Casey’s complaint.

“It’s very simple: [the study] said we needed three new elementary schools,” Bird said. “I don’t know what’s so vague about saying we need three new elementary schools. We need a new roof and air conditioning system at the middle school. We’re about to do that. We’re carrying out our plan.”

McCown reiterated that a lack of community support is the crux of the problem.

“Who are we going to finally trust to have a plan? That’s what a school board is about is the community electing us seven guys and trusting us to have enough gumption to have a plan. We’ve had a plan all along and we’ve tried our darndest to follow it,” McCown said.

“I’m just about sick of the community saying, ‘Y’all don’t have a plan.’ That’s garbage. We’ve had a plan all along.”

Casey maintained JISD should take the study’s advice and develop its own document for the district and citizens to use as a guidepost.

Several in attendance for the meeting took Casey's side on the issue and said they were offended by McCowns remarks. Julian Haddad was one of those parents. He shared his displeasure on the Daily Progress online message board.

“Pat McCowan (sic.), since you are sick of this community, have the decency to resign and get the hell out of this board and let someone that cares for this community come on board instead,” Haddad wrote. “It’s a disgrace and insult to have someone with that kind of attitude on board, and a disservice to all that trusted you with a vote of confidence in the last election.”

McCown said he wasn't sorry for what he said, although he did regret the way he expressed himself.

"I regret the tone that I used and that I let my emotions get the best of me. But, I don't regret what I said; they were true statements," McCown said.

He also said he doesn't expect his debate with Casey to cause a rift.

"Me and Joe are friendly antagonists," McCown said. "We have a lot of different views and that's a good thing. We bring different ideas to the table."

Casey said he was not offended by McCown’s tone or words.

“Debate is a part of the political process,” Casey said. “Mr. McCown and I happen to disagree on this issue but I have a lot of respect for him and his work for the board.”

        

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