Alachua County Special Meeting

Minutes

Monday, April 29, 2024 at 3:00 P.m. - 4:00 P.m.

Alachua County School Board Auditorium

620 E. University Avenue

Gainesville, FL 32601

Present:

• Vice Chair Mary Alford, 
• Commissioner Charles S. Chestnut, IV, 
• Commissioner Ken Cornell, 
• Chair Anna Prizzia, 
• and Commissioner Marihelen Wheeler 

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A.

Call To Order

School Board Chair McGraw called the meeting to order at 3:00 p.m.

B.

Welcome

C.

Introduction

1.

Diyonne McGraw, Chair, Alachua County School Board

2.

Mary Alford, Chair, Alachua County Commission

D.

Adoption of the Agenda

County Commissioner Wheeler moved adoption of the agenda. The motion carried 5-0.

2nd Commissioner Chestnut

School Board Commissioner Rockwell moved adoption of the agenda. The motion carried 4-0 with School Board Commissioner McNealy absent. 

2nd School Board Commissioner Certain

E.

Items For Discussion

1.

Comprehensive Literacy Plan

Children's Trust of Alachua County Executive Director Marsha Kiner and UF Lastinger Center for Learning Assistant Director Pamela Chalfant presented the above item. 

Ms. Kiner stated that the study is being funded by contributions of $62,500 by the County Commissioner and the Children's Trust and the remaining $50,000 is being provided by the School Board. 

Ms. Chalfant stated that the intent is to gather the data from the work that has already been done. New data will be collected, and all the available data will be reviewed, Recommendations and a plan will be presented to the Boards. The assessment will identify the gaps in the provision of services that the plan will address. 

County Commissioner Prizzia, County Commissioner Cornell, County Commissioner Wheeler, School Board Commissioner Certain, County Chair Alford, and School Board Commissioner Abbitt presented comments. 

2.

Playground for Shell Elementary - 24-00378

Alachua County Open Space Director Jason Maurer presented the above item. 

Mr. Maurer stated that Shell Elementary School has been proposed for a pocket park collaboration between the County and the School Board similar to the Lake Forest Elementary School project. He advised the Board that this area is planned for a Community Park and that adding this project may requiring funding be reassigned from the Community Park to the Pocket Park. Work would need to be done with the School Board staff to figure out the responsibility of each party. Engineering for the project would take about 8 months and bid and construction would take another 10 months. So, any project would be approximately 2 years for completion. 

County Commissioner Prizzia, School Board Superintendent Andrews, School Board Commissioner Certain, County Chair Alford, County Commissioner Wheeler, County Commissioner Cornell, and School Board Chair McGraw presented comments. 

School Board Chair McGraw recognized Kali Blount who presented comments. 

3.

Attendance/Homelessness - 24-00415

Superintendent Shane Andrew presented the above item.

Mr. Andrew stated that the school system tracks attendance very carefully. Any student who misses 10 days is considered chronic and staff reaches out to them to see what assistance can be provided. Staff is developing a student housing form to comply with new State Guidelines. The first step is to develop the communication with students and parents then aligning the services to coordinate with agencies that can assist. 

Mr. Andrew further highlighted the six areas for opportunities for collaboration:

1. Temporary Shelter for families and rental assistance/medical referrals
2.  Medical and Mental Health services.
3. Food for children.
4. Better coordination of services with the County and the District.
5. Identify Point People in the County.
6. Facilitation of access to County Agencies for Homeless families. 

County Chair Alford stated that there may be an opportunity to establish a memorandum of understanding that would allow information to be shared amongst agencies to coordinate available resources to assist the children.  

County Commissioner Cornell moved to refer the McKinney Vento transition program outline to County staff to bring back recommendations on how we can formalize and improve coordination between the County, the School Board, and the County Commissioners as it relates to the McKinney Vento transition. As staff identifies gaps, he would like staff to return to both Boards with budget recommendations in this budget cycle. The motion carried 5-0. 

2nd County Commissioner Wheeler

County Commissioner Prizzia, Executive Director of ESE and Student Services Kathy Black, Director of Project Development Dr. Joram Rejouis, Assistant County Manager Daniels, Community Support Services Director Claudia Tuck, School Board Commissioner Rockwell, School Board Commissioner Certain, and CTAC Executive Director Kiner presented comments.

Chair Alford recognized Jasmine Hall and Kali Blount who presented comments to the Board. 

School Board Commissioner Certain moved to direct School Board staff to work with the County staff on the 6 items on the working relationships with County Agencies. The motion carried 4-0 with School Board Commissioner McNealy absent. 

2nd School Board Commissioner Rockwell. 

4.

Housing

Chair Alford presented the above item.

Chair Alford stated that the County has certain funds set aside for affordable housing. The School Board could potentially have unused properties that could be used for affordable/workforce housing. She stated there could be a potential for a collaboration between the two agencies. This could provide housing for students and school staff.  

School Board Chair McGraw, Community Support Services Director Tuck, County Commissioner Prizzia, County Commissioner Cornell, County Commissioner Wheeler, School Board Commissioner Certain, School Board Commissioner Abbitt, and School Board Commissioner Rockwell presented comments. 

School Board Commissioner Certain moved to direct School Board Staff to evaluate properties the School Board currently has and discuss with County Staff to see if there are parcels of land suitable to move forward with some kind of housing development with tax money in the future. The motion carried 4-0 with School Board Commissioner McNealy absent. 

2nd School Board Commissioner Rockwell

County Commissioner Prizzia, School Board Commissioner Certain, County Chair Alford, County Commissioner Cornell, and School Board Commissioner Rockwell presented comments. 

Chair Alford and Commissioner Cornell presented comments. 

5.

Behavior/Gun Violence

Superintendent Shane Andrew and Dr. Edwards presented the above item. 

Dr. Kristen Iannuzzi, Chief Pelton, County Commissioner Cornell, County Commissioner Prizzia, Dr. Amanda Dilorenzo-Garcia, and School Board Commissioner Rockwell presented comments. 

County Commissioner Prizzia moved to direct County staff to look into options and opportunities to have funding to provide safe gun storage for those who cannot afford it. Further she believes the Sheriff and GPD have a program for free trigger locks, and she would like to assist in spreading the word and provide funding if needed to meet the demand. Also request that the Communications Department work with the School Board to get the message out as school is about to recess for the Summer. The motion carried 5-0. 

2nd County Commissioner Cornell

School Board Chair Mc Graw, School Board Commissioner Certain, School Board Commissioner Abbitt, County Commissioner Prizzia, CTAC Executive Director Kiner, and County Chair Alford presented comments. 

School Board Chair McGraw recognized Kali Blount who presented comments to the Board. 

County Gun Violence Update

Alachua County Victim Services Director Laura Kalt presented the status of County efforts.

School Board Chair McGraw, County Commissioner Prizzia, Ms. Rawls, and County Commissioner Wheeler presented comments.  

F.

Public Comment

There was no one present who wished to address the Board.

G.

Commission General Comments and Information Discussion

1.

County Commission Comment

County Commissioners Cornell and Prizzia thanked the School Board for hosting the meeting and the citizens for their participation. 

Commissioner Chestnut expressed his frustration with the current leadership of the State of Florda and the inability to address Gun Violence.

Chair Alford stated that she wants the School Board to know that the County Commission is here to support the School District and looks forward to making these meetings as productive as possible. 

2.

School Board Comment

School Board Commissioner Rockwell, School Board Commissioner Certain, and School Board Chair McGraw thanked the County Commission for the collaboration in dealing with the tough issues facing the district. 

H.

Adjourn

There being no further business before the Board, the meeting was adjourned at 6:12 p.m.