Statement on Developments Regarding Florence Middle School
by
UNA President Ken Kitts and Board President Pro Tempore Marrtin Abroms..March 7, 2017
Ken Kitts
Today the University of North Alabama has requested a temporary restraining order to prevent Florence City Schools from approving a bid to begin construction on the new Florence Middle School. We had hoped to avoid this step. However, FCS’s sudden decision to restart the bid award process – within seven (7) business days after agreeing to a 30-day delay — leaves us with no other option for protecting our interests.
Late last month, UNA joined with others in celebrating the news that the Florence Board of Education had agreed to a 30-day delay in approving the bid, a move that effectively shifted the decision deadline on the bid award back to March 24. We pledged to use that extra time wisely. We proposed the creation of a task force composed of representatives from UNA, the school district, and the City of Florence. We proposed the creation of a new oversight mechanism for Braly Stadium. We acquiesced to the school district’s request that we include the gym at the proposed middle school site in our appraisal of the property. In accordance with the Interim Superintendent’s written approval granted on March 3, UNA commenced the appraisal process on March 6. We also engaged with FCS officials and the architect regarding design modifications that could address our parking concerns.
All of these ideas, and more, were still being discussed yesterday afternoon when we received word that the
Martin Abroms
Board of Education had scheduled a meeting for today, March 7, to award the bid. This is a troubling development. We are puzzled and disheartened by the sudden change of heart on the 30-day delay, and by the fact that it came without any advance notice to UNA and other stakeholders. Once again, there is a lack of cooperation and a rush to judgment that will negatively impact UNA and the Florence community for the next half century.
UNA’s concerns about this project are long-standing and have been documented in detail. Briefly, they revolve around the fact that the proposed design of the new school would significantly worsen access and parking issues at Braly Municipal Stadium, a multi-million dollar community asset in which UNA has made a sizeable investment. Operations at the stadium are governed by a use agreement that includes four signatories, including UNA and Florence City Schools. The agreement is a legally binding document that covers everything from the sharing of costs to stadium parking. Compliance with the agreement by the signatories is not discretionary. It is a matter of the law. Lack of compliance will result in the breach of a contract that has been honored by all parties for the last 40 years.
The decision to build the new Florence Middle School at the proposed site continues to be opposed by a large number of local officials and citizens. Some share UNA’s concerns. Others worry about traffic issues and student safety on the proposed middle school site. Still others contend that the property is not large enough to allow for future expansion of the school. The common thread running through these disparate views is frustration with not being heard by those making decisions on the new middle school.
This, then, is the crux of the matter. Within the administration of Florence City Schools, the decision process leading to this moment has been flawed. There was no independent site assessment for the new school. There was no real solicitation of stakeholder input. There was no willingness to consider alternatives. Instead, there has only been a single-minded push to get this project done as quickly as possible – a push that has accelerated as new concerns have been brought to light.
UNA officials have a responsibility to act when our interests are threatened. Legal agreements must be honored, our financial investments must be protected, and the needs of our students (many of whom call Florence home) must be given due consideration. Our efforts to find the right balance in fulfilling these obligations have been careful and inclusive, and today’s statement comes with support from the UNA Board of Trustees.
We continue to believe that there is a way of reconciling UNA’s interests with those of Florence City Schools, but the search for such a solution cannot be rushed. It takes time. It is with this understanding that we have asked the courts to grant our petition so that this decision process can be extended and made as inclusive as possible.
Media Release/UNA/Bryan Rachal, APR
p: 256.765.4392 c: 479.790.4211
Director, University Communications
