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Schools

Schools to weigh solutions for building deficit

By MELANIE AVE
Published August 10, 2005

TAMPA - Hillsborough School Board members wrung their hands Tuesday over an expected $364-million construction shortfall over the next five years, but agreed to seek solutions in the coming weeks.

Administrators and board members are considering whether to ask voters for a half-cent sales tax to pay for the new schools that are needed because of massive growth and the state's class-size reduction mandate. Otherwise, they say, year-round schools, double sessions or massive school boundary changes might be necessary.

Chief facilities officer Cathy Valdes said growth alone makes up about $120-million of the expected shortfall.

"Even if the class size amendment went away, we'd only have a $120-million deficit," said board chairwoman Candy Olson. "That's a big number."

Olson asked superintendent MaryEllen Elia to hold a special workshop on the issue where board members can discuss the shortfall and also decide whether to ask the Hillsborough County Commission to raise impact fees assessed on development. The county's impact fees, unchanged since 1989, are among the lowest of Florida's urban, fast-growing counties.

"We're assuming they won't approve them," Olson said, "but I think we need to ask."

Board members and commissioners are expected to meet next month.

In other business, board members decided to terminate the contract of Wilbesan Charter School, after the school opened last week despite a cease and desist order by the county fire marshal, who cited the school for safety violations.

The school was beginning its third year of serving fifth- to eighth-graders in east Tampa in a new building on 78th Street.

The board hired St. Petersburg Times reporter Stephen Hegarty, 49, as the district's new public information officer to replace Mark Hart, who resigned in May. Hegarty's appointment is effective Aug. 22.

A Tampa native, Hegarty has worked at the Times for 21 years and is its former state education reporter. He will earn between $89,000 and $99,000 a year.

The board also named Bryant Elementary School principal Debra Veranth as director of administration and appointed Alternative Education West principal James Gatlin as principal of Middleton High School.

Melanie Ave can be reached at 813 226-3400 or melanie@sptimes.com

[Last modified August 10, 2005, 00:36:13]