Posted on November 28th, 2012 by
Thomas Kennedy
CCSB Chairman Statement
Today we were informed that one of Citrus County’s largest taxpayers has decided not to pay their full tax bill. In any year, that would cause major problems. Compounding this surprising and disappointing issue is that this action affects the fiscal year that began July 1, 2012.
The taxpayer is Progress Energy/Duke Energy. The Property Appraiser assessed the company’s property and the value resulted in a property tax bill of approximately $35 million. That is approximately 26 percent of the tax base for Citrus County. On Wednesday, the company paid the Tax Collector approximately $19 million—roughly half of what they owe. This results in approximately $8 million less for Citrus County Schools.
It has been a rough couple of years for our schools. We have tightened our belt and focused on ensuring that our children get the education they need. Many things have already been affected by prior budget cuts, including before and after school programs, transportation, staffing and more. We have worked hard and adjusted our prior budgets in order to maintain our education level of service. But, our budget for this fiscal year was set by July 1, 2012. We worked on it for months—balancing the needs of students and teachers in an already challenged economic climate.
We are naturally very concerned about the impact this will have on our students and teachers and staff. We have scheduled an emergency meeting so that we can gain a better understanding of the potential consequences of this action and the alternatives available to us.
The Emergency Meeting will be held: Friday, November 30, 2012, 2 PM, District Services Center, 1007 West Main Street, Inverness, FL 34450
Virginia Bryant, Chair
Citrus County School Board
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Posted on November 28th, 2012 by
Thomas Kennedy
Emergency School Board Meeting for Friday due to Duke Energy
Citrus County School Board Chairperson Ginger Bryant has also called an emergency board meeting for 2:00pm on Friday, November 30th, 2012, to also discuss the matter of Progress/Duke Energy’s tax bill and its effect on the school board’s operations.
The Citrus County Board of Commission has also schedule an emergency meeting for 10:00am on Friday, November 30th.
See news story: http://www.chronicleonline.com/content/progress-tax-decision-jolts-county
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Posted on November 25th, 2012 by
Thomas Kennedy
Marine Science Station Tour & Museum Dedication
Photo Story
From Marine Science Station Tour & Museum Dedication, posted by Citrus County School District on 11/17/2012 (199 items)
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Filed under: News & Updates
Posted on November 21st, 2012 by
Thomas Kennedy
School Board Annual Organizational Meeting & Swearing in of Elected Officials
Today in compliance with Florida Statute was our annual school board’s organizational meeting which every two years is also when we swear into office our new board members and every four years the superintendent.
The meeting began with Superintendent giving the opening exercises which are the superintendent’s responsibilities at the annual organizational meeting.
The Honorable Judge Patricia V. Thomas who was a former school board member herself, swore in Sandra “Sam” Himmel as Superintendent of Schools and then swore in Virginia Bryant and Susan Hale as School Board Members.
Next the board elected the Chairperson for the coming board year. Virginia Bryant was voted as Chairperson and Patricia Deutschman as Vice Chairperson.
Lastly the board voted on the meeting days and times for the coming board year. I made a motion and Ms. Deutschman seconded and the School Board approved that Regular Business Meetings to be held on the second Tuesday of each month beginning at 4:00 p.m. and any Special Meetings/Workshops will be called as needed, which is typically the fourth Tuesday of each month.
I want to congratulation Superintendent Sam Himmel and School Board Member Virginia Bryant on being re-elected. I also want to congratulate newly elected School Board Member Susan Hale.
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Posted on November 16th, 2012 by
Thomas Kennedy
Marine Science Station 45th Anniversary, Museum Rededication & Open House
The Citrus School Board renovation of the Marine Museum over a year ago and it is hoped at in the near future it will again be would fill the museum with more learning. The original museum was built in 1968 and was dedicated in 1969 in memory of form native and Navy person and Naval aquanaut Barry L. Cannon. Please join us at the Open House and rededication on November 17th, 2012 beginning at 9:00am thru 2:00pm with the dedication at 11:00am.
Barry L. Cannon Memorial Wet Laboratory Marine Museum (now named ‘Berry L. Cannon Memorial Aquarium‘)
“This museum was named for the outstanding career of Barry L. Cannon, a civilian electronic engineer, whose life was cut short when he met death while working on the ocean floor the first day of the Navy’s Sea Lab III project off San Clemente Island, off the California coast, on Feb. 17, 1969. Cannon, who was 33 years old at the time of his death, was a veteran of the Navy’s Man-in-the-Sea program, an extensive and projected program to determine man’s ability to live and work in the ocean. Cannon also was a participating aquanaut during the Sea Lab II experiment conducted in 1965, La Jolla, Calif. CA Cannon was on active duty in the Navy from 1953 to 1957, attended the University of Nevada and received his BS Degree in electronics engineering from the University of Florida in 1962. He had been with the Navy Laboratory in Panama City since 1963.” (Excerpt from the Orlando Sentinel, written June 17th, 1970.)
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Posted on November 15th, 2012 by
Thomas Kennedy
Post Election
Like many of you I am so glad November 6th is behind us. This was my first local election as a sitting elected official and I learned a great deal both positive and negative. Now it is time for us to come together and continue to do the work for the students, families and citizens of Citrus County.
I was most disappointed that the .25 millage rate school referendum did not pass. This referendum was a continuance of revenue our students and schools were already receiving but that will now sunset this coming year. Since this referendum did not pass our school budget will be impacted and reduced further by approximately $2.5 million dollars annually. This, along with the anticipated Florida Supreme Court’s decision on the Florida Retirement System’s “3% contribution” law suit, which many believe will be held as unconstitutional, will further reduce our Citrus County School System’s budget by an additional $2.5 million dollars. That is potentially $5 million in new lost funds to our school budget and that is before any new state or federal mandates or unanticipated new costs. This will have a serious impacts as we begin the budget process in the next months.
I will miss working with School Board Member Bill Murray whose farewell meeting was November 13th, 2012 but I am very excited to begin working with newly elected School Board Member Susan Hale. Ms. Hale brings a great deal of experience both from the private banking/human resources area, public school teaching and the Florida Department of Education where she has served as a dispensatory board member for teachers certifications. I welcome Ms. Hale and wish her the very best as she begins to serve the students of Citrus County on the School Board.
Lastly, I am pleased to continue to work with Superintendent Sam Himmel. I cannot express well enough how much I appreciate the style and manner in which Ms. Himmel works with her board members. She makes sure that her staff and executive team are always available to us for answering any questions or addressing any issues. She goes out of her way to see that we are informed of daily happenings within our school system. She brings us in to ask our opinions on issues even when she does not have to. We are a team at the School District and it is an honor to serve with them. We are “Team Students”!!
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