The Franklin County Board of Education will hold a called meeting Tuesday to discuss the purchase of property for a new Royston Elementary School.
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At a city council meeting Thursday, Franklin Springs residents applauded those who spoke against the idea of putting a new Royston Elementary School in Franklin Springs.
The Franklin County Board of Education will hold a called meeting Tuesday to discuss the purchase of property for a new Royston Elementary School.
The meeting will be held after three of four members of the Franklin Springs City Council indicated Thursday that they don’t want the new school built in their town, despite a majority of the school board saying they want to build the school there.
A notice for the school board meeting – to be held Tuesday at 6 p.m. at the central office on Busha Road in Carnesville – says that the only thing on the agenda will be a closed session to discuss real estate.
State law permits the school board – and other government boards – to hold closed-door meetings to discuss the purchase of property and a few other reasons.
School board members Alan Mitchell, Kent Hall and Gary Minyard told Superintendent Chris Forrer at a Jan. 12 meeting to pursue purchasing 29 acres of property behind McDonald’s in Franklin Springs as the site for a new Royston school.
Forrer said Thursday that the school system has negotiated a price and secured an option on the property, though nothing is official unless the school board votes to buy the land within 30 days.
The idea of putting the new Royston Elementary in Franklin Springs drew public criticism from Franklin Springs residents Thursday during a meeting of the Franklin Springs City Council.
Ten people spoke against the idea, with a roomful of others applauding their words and indicating when asked that they did not want the school in Franklin Springs.
No formal vote was taken on the idea by the city council, but members Tommy Pritchett, Tom Wilson and Joe Bryant raised their hands after Forrer asked for raised hands by those who did not want the school built in the city.
“I do have a problem recommending something three of you say you don’t want,” Forrer said.
The superintendent said he would take the council’s views back to the Franklin County Board of Education for consideration.
For complete coverage of the issue and Thursday's Franklin Springs meeting, pick up a copy of the Jan. 28 issue of the Franklin County Citizen Leader.