School Board to consider changing facility use policy

Palm Coast Observer
News

The Flagler County School Board will consider changing its policy on facility usage after an event designed to benefit the Future Problem Solvers — a car and boat show at the Flagler Palm Coast High School campus, promoted by WNZF Radio, that raised $5,000 — upset a local business and concerned board members who said they only heard about the event the a contract was already signed.

The agreement between Flagler Broadcasting, LLC and the School District, signed Aug. 19 by District Superintendent Jacob Oliva, Flagler Broadcasting General Manager David Ayres and FPC Principal Dustin Sims, says the Problem Solvers would receive 20% of gross advertising sales generated by the Sept. 10-11 event, and that Flagler Broadcasting would secure vendors.

That ended up being Volusia County-based car dealership Ritchey Auto. School Board member Andy Dance, who’s long been a cheerleader for the Problem Solvers, aided the effort to bring in the event, but most of the School Board learned of the event only after a complaint by Tommy Gibbs of Tom Gibbs Chevrolet.

In an email to the School Board, Gibbs wrote, “It has come to my attention that the Flagler County School board has granted access the radio station to host an automotive tent sale primarily featuring out-of-town dealers. As a tax payer of this community and an employee of a Palm Coast dealership, I cannot help but think that such a decision is a blatant affront to all local businesses that have historically placed tremendous value in supporting Flagler County, its infrastructure, and its school system.”

Dance said the intent had been to invite all three dealers, including Gibbs; Gibbs said the dealership hadn’t received an invitation.

School Board members Janet McDonald and Colleen Conklin thought the process used to organize the event — with board members left in the dark about an event on district property until a local business complained — was improper.

“This was pushed by one group and directed by one board member, and I think that violates the community’s expectations,” McDonald said at a School Board workshop Sept. 6. She had requested that the board discuss the issue at the workshop. “I think certainly that the school board policy needs to be looked at.”

She also questioned having the Problem Solvers selected out for the large-scale funding event. “There isn’t one organization in this district that doesn’t benefit from additional funds,” she said. “We need to make sure that we don’t marginalize anyone. This is a public school organization. It needs to serve the community, in balance and along with guidelines that are agreed to.”

Conklin noted that School Board policy bars subleasing but doesn’t define the word. “We need to make sure that we have a strong policy in place so that there is no misinterpretation of how those things can take place and whether or not they’re appropriate or inappropriate,” she said. “And if we can utilize language to strengthen those policies, that may avoid something like that happening in the future. I’m greatly concerned as well about the event, and just the process.”

Board member Trevor Tucker noted that the city of Palm Coast engages in a kind of subleasing of district property at Indian Trails when it brings in out-of-town tournaments.

“We can’t say no one can sublease, otherwise you’re going to eliminate a lot of people at these events,” he said.

“The policy we have right now says ‘You can not sublease,’” Conklin said. “I think that’s part of the conversation, is how do we then amend the policy where if that is going to happen, is it a community group, a non-profit, a government entity, or a for profit? This was a for profit business. … I think defining how that is going to play out is going to be critical.”

The board will revisit the issue at a future workshop.