7 days ago
Leon School board weighs giving Ft. Braden land to county for stadium lease deal
Leon County Schools Superintendent Rocky Hanna is recommending the school board sign over nine acres of land it owns in Fort Braden Community Park to the County Commission so that the panel can ask the state for a portion of the land surrounding it.
But the school board isn't too keen on giving away property.
Leon County Administrator Vince Long wrote a letter to Hanna in February seeking a donation of the property that is maintained by the county.
During an agenda review meeting, Monday, Aug. 11, the school board heard the recommendation from Hanna.
"Should the school board be amenable to the donation, the county is prepared to work with your office and complete the necessary process to facilitate this transfer, which will also include entering into a sports facilities use agreement with the school board to continue providing students priority access to the park," Long wrote.
"We don't give away assets, we shouldn't," School board member Alva Smith said. "We're not a charity."
She suggested the land could become valuable to the district in the future and to donate it now could put the district at a disadvantage.
The Fort Braden Community Park is sandwiched between Fort Braden School and the state's Lake Talquin Forest, of which the county is seeking to gain ownership of a portion.
Hanna explained the donation would be in exchange for an additional 40-year lease on Gene Cox Stadium free of charge from the county. The stadium, which hosts school athletic events, is on land owned by the county and is maintained by the school board.
Hanna said he was reminded of the request recently by Long after meeting to discuss a possible property tax increase, another matter the board is exploring.
"Sometimes sister governments need to help each other out," Hanna said in support for the land donation. "We need to learn how to give and take, and we may need something from them one day. But I get it. I don't want to give away stuff for free."
Since there's no rush for the board to decide, members asked for a workshop that would review the value of the property, as well as how it could be used by the district at some point.
Hanna said expanding the Fort Braden K-8 School on the property is out of the question since a large ravine sits in between the school and the land.
What's next
The full board will meet Tuesday, Aug. 12 at the Aquilina Howell Building to recognize honorable principals, discuss the first day of school and approve multiple grants, memorandums and policies.
Alaijah Brown covers children & families for the Tallahassee Democrat. She can be reached at ABrown1@ Follow her on Twitter/X: @AlaijahBrown3.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: School board hesitant to donate acres in Ft. Braden Park to county
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