Gwynetta Gittens

news@breezenewspapers.com

The School Board of Lee County has approved the purchase of 184 acres on State Road 82.

The estimated total cost, $3,019,066.67, is for a tract at 17250 State Road 82, which includes 100 buildable acres due to wetlands.

Gwyn Gittens was the sole board member who opposed the purchase Thursday night.

“There is no doubt that we need property and no doubt we need property in the East Zone. No doubt there is extreme overcrowding in schools in the East Zone. There is no doubt that many planning decisions does not take that into consideration. There is no doubt that prioritizing that need does not seem to be at the top of the list for this district. That didn’t start today or this week, it has been going on for quite some time,” she said.

Gittens continued her emotional discussion, as she shared a conversation she had with a former student.

“A student of mine I ran into the other day said to me that their child, who is now attending school, is attending school in one of their classes in a portable that their parents attended school in. I’m just going to let that marinate for a minute. When we build, I’m sorry I get . . .,” Gittens said as she began to cry. “Maybe someday you will listen to me. When you build a new school and we have four middle schools that are overcrowded with 20 portables, and you build a brand new school and we do not get not one new seat, something is wrong. I am not crazy. I am not whining. I am telling you the truth.”

Gittens went on to say that she knows they need the property, but it is not for the four middle schools and 20 portables.

“It is for the new development on the west side on 82 where over 1,000 houses will go and on the back door of those houses on Alico Road. How many in Lehigh will send their child across 82 to go to school?'” she asked. “Something is wrong. We are building for future development and not for current need. I will say it over and over until I am not sitting here anymore.”

Board member Melisa Giovannelli, who supported the agenda item, questioned what the plan was for the property.

“I see the value in purchasing this property. I know the majority of it is going to be wetlands. I know it’s a reasonable price. I am going to support it tonight, but I have to agree with Ms. Gittens that our priorities are not in order. I am saddened of what is happening in East Lee County,” she said. “Shame on this board, we need to do better. I am just as responsible as the other six on this board. I wanted to hear it would be the next technical college area. That is our need. It should be planned, especially for 183 acres.”

At a meeting last Monday afternoon, Planning Growth & Capacity Director Kathie Ebaugh said the exact use has yet to be determined for the piece of property.

“There are multiple discussions of what that property may be. It can be used for more than one school. Might be a high school, middle school, elementary school or a tech school for the East Zone,” she said. 

The land became one of those properties the district needed to buy due to it being in a good location and it fits their needs, Ebaugh said.

“This property was originally brought forward to the board at the Jan. 26, 2021 board meeting,” Ebaugh said. “We asked for permission to purchase the property and go into the due diligence period. It’s been on the capital board updates as part of the monthly board budget reports. We talked about this as part of the properties discussed in the East Zone presentation. This is not the first time we have brought this up.”

Gittens shared a great deal of concern over this piece of property, as she received a signed executed contract from January with a caveat of the district having until the end of September to make any changes.

“Why in January were we told it was not an executed contract, but an agreement to go forward,” Gittens asked. “We could have easily been told as a board in January that this is how this works and we have until now and September. It wasn’t as transparent as possible.”

Ebaugh said they brought a contract for the board to review for due diligence. She said until now they have had every ability to not purchase the property, as due diligence does not stipulate the purchase, but rather establishes a time period to allow the district to do an evaluation of the property.

Due diligence is taken to review all the specific details of the property, such as environmental and transportation studies and reviewing the title work.

“We do enter a contract to go into due diligence until the ratification, which would potentially happen tomorrow with a vote,” she said. “I’m sorry we did not provide the level of transparency for you. We will continue to evaluate the process. We are continually trying to make things better.”