GULF SHORES – The drive to get voters a look at deciding if they support a Special Tax District for schools on Pleasure Island may have stalled, but Mayor Robert Craft of Gulf Shores says the fight …
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GULF SHORES – The drive to get voters a look at deciding if they support a Special Tax District for schools on Pleasure Island may have stalled, but Mayor Robert Craft of Gulf Shores says the fight continues.
“I can tell you this: We are not going to quit,” Craft said at Monday’s council meeting. “We’ve got a responsibility and an opportunity for the kids in this community. We are already deeply engaged in what are our other options and how do we solve this problem, how do piece this thing back together.”
Craft and the Gulf Shores City Council saw and were impressed by a presentation the Education Advisory Task Force at the July 18 council meeting. The effort is being led by Kevin Corcoran of Gulf Shores, Jim Caldwell of Orange Beach and Doug Warren of Ono Island.
“I think everybody in this room and in this building is excited about it including all of us up here on the council,” Craft said. “It didn’t receive that same kind of reception in Orange Beach.”
The reason it didn’t get the same reception in Orange Beach was it wasn’t shown in Orange Beach. The same Task Force trio were on hand on July 19, but were told 90 minutes before the meeting their time was trimmed to 10 minutes by Orange Beach Mayor Tony Kennon.
The presentation takes about 30-45 minutes to go through and until just before the meeting the group was under the impression they would have that time. Later in the week the trio made the presentation to a handful of teachers at Orange Beach Elementary.
Corcoran and company were hoping to gather resolutions of support from both city councils to present to Judge Tim Russell to have the measure placed on the ballot for the Nov. 8 general election.
After stringent objections from Kennon aired after the abbreviated Task Force presentation, on July 22 Russell informed them via a note to Craft the issue would not be on the November ballot.
Objections came from Kennon and councilmembers Jeff Boyd and Annette Mitchell to the proposed Memorandum of Understanding on the makeup of the board of trustees. Councilmembers Jeff Silvers, Jerry Johnson and Joni Blalock indicated they wanted to move forward with a vote on a resolution of support for placing the measure on the ballot.
“Unfortunately it didn’t happen and with this, at least initially, dependent upon both cities doing a resolution, that effort has stalled obviously with their unwillingness to join us,” Craft said. “Those of you who saw the presentation, as we did, are disappointed, as are we. It’s not the first time we have not agreed on philosophy with Orange Beach, their mayor and council. And this was another of those.”
Craft said Gulf Shores, the Task Force and the Baldwin County Board of Education will continue working to finding a solution to overcrowded schools on the island.
“We have a really good relationship with the board of education,” he said. “We’re creating a team with them on how do we solve this problem for the island which helps the school board and is virtually demanded by our kids.
“We will not just sit up here and wait and hope that something happens. We will take an active role to try and figure out options and communicate with you as we go along the way.”
