Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Dunedin and Pinellas Schools officials are now on the same side in a fight for about 50 San Jose Elementary students who may have to cross State Road 580 to get to school next year. Officials are readying to battle the state.
Dunedin and Pinellas Schools officials are now on the same side of a fight for about 50 elementary students who may have to walk across State Road 580 to get to school next year. Now city and school officials are preparing to take the busing battle to the state level. And Dunedin's list of allies is growing, City Manager Rob DiSpirito said during a recent commission meeting. "We've got some ammunition," DiSpirito said. Dunedin leaders publicly criticized Pinellas County Schools officials for "bureaucratic silliness" in January for their plan to discontinue transportation for about 50 San Jose Elementary students who, as a result, would be made to walk across the awkward-angled intersection at State Road 580 and Bass Boulevard. The plan …
Friday, February 1, 2013
City Commissioner Ron Barnette sends an email plea to Pinellas County Schools to reconsider a plan that forces some Dunedin children to walk across a five-lane state highway to get to San Jose Elementary next year.
City Commissioner Ron Barnette spoke passionately against a Pinellas County School Board plan to end busing for about 50 elementary students in Dunedin. The plan would force children to either find alternate transportation to school or to walk across State Road 580. He recently reinforced his position in an email plea to the School Board. Barnette's email exchange with Debbie Beaty, administrative assistant to the board, follows: Sent: Tuesday, January 29, 2013 7:23 PM To: +Board Office Subject: A Dunedin Commissioner's Plea for Child Safety Dear Board members, I am Ron Barnette, a Dunedin City Commissioner, who is writing to PLEASE address responsibly our City Resolution sent to you regarding the continued safe bus passage for some 50 …
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
"My God, if we can't figure out an effective way to communicate to a school board, how do we expect residents to?" Mayor Dave Eggers said during a Jan. 24 meeting at City Hall.
No one on the Pinellas County School Board seems to care, Dunedin officials say. Their concerns for children forced to cross a busy five-lane road because of the school district's decision to drop bus services next year may not be heard — not unless city leaders can sum it up in three minutes or less, a Jan. 23 city memo from Rob DiSpirito explains. "My God, if we can't figure out an effective way to communicate to a school board, how do we expect residents to?" Mayor Dave Eggers said during a Jan. 24 public meeting at City Hall. "We should be able to effectively get in front of our representatives." DiSpirito says that if city leaders can provide information to the school district before the end of the month, then their concerns would be …
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Dunedin commissioners are reviewing a resolution against the Pinellas County School Board's plan to stop busing elementary students across State Road 580 at Thursday's public hearing at City Hall. Discontinued busing could cost taxpayers up to $56,000 a y
Dunedin taxpayers could be on the hook to shell out an extra $56,000 a year because the Pinellas County School Board refuses to bus students across State Road 580. The school district's plan to stop busing about 50 elementary students deemed close enough to walk seems to defy common sense and undermine public safety, commissioners said, picking it apart during a Jan. 10 meeting at City Hall. Dunedin leaders are expected to formally oppose the school district's plan on Thursday. The move would save the Pinellas School Board about $28,000 a year — the cost of one bus. After city leaders called it "crazy" and "bureaucratic silliness," they vowed to "fight the fight" for roughly 50 San Jose Elementary students who would be forced to either …
28.028712
-82.781934
San Jose Elementary School
1670 San Helen Dr, Dunedin, FL
/articles/dunedin-leaders-to-challenge-pinellas-schools-on-student-safety
943902
/locations/8666403
28.012849
-82.785374
Dunedin City Hall
542 Main St, Dunedin, FL
/articles/dunedin-leaders-to-challenge-pinellas-schools-on-student-safety
944000
/locations/8666404
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Dunedin TV filming stopped, but live microphones picked up on a brief dialogue between city leaders frustrated over a Pinellas County School Board decision to stop busing elementary students across State Road 580.
A Pinellas County School Board plan to stop busing elementary students got commissioners riled during Thursday's city meeting. Officials spent an hour picking apart a School Board plan that will leave about 50 San Jose Elementary students having to cross busy State Road 580, where Skinner Boulevard, Main Street and Bass Boulevard all converge. After an hour-long hearing, during which commissioners called it "crazy" and "bureaucratic silliness," they immediately took a five-minute break. Dunedin TV filming stopped, but live microphones picked up on a brief dialogue between city leaders Mayor Dave Eggers and Commissioners Ron Barnette, Julie Scales and Heather Gracy. The following can be heard on Dunedin TV: Barnette: ... I bet the only …
28.012849
-82.785374
Dunedin City Hall
542 Main St, Dunedin, FL
/articles/commissioners-candid-school-bus-comments-caught-on-camera
944000
/locations/8621642
Saturday, January 12, 2013
City officials picked apart Pinellas County Schools' decision to eliminate busing for some San Jose Elementary students during Thursday's public meeting, calling it "bureaucratic silliness" for forcing kids to walk across State Road 580.
City commissioners want to make it clear to Pinellas County Schools that Dunedin will "fight" for San Jose Elementary students who may have to cross five lanes of State Road 580 to get to school next year. "If I'm not mistaken, we can't even cross golf carts there," Commissioner Heather Gracy told Mike Burke, route and safety auditor for the Pinellas County School Board Transportation Department. Burke began with a concession that officials deserved an explanation for a letter he issued to the parents of children effected by a miscalculation of the school system's two-mile radius rule, which only provides bus transportation to children who live farther than two miles. Burke explained that 20-year-old software used to calculate the walk …
28.028712
-82.781934
San Jose Elementary School
1670 San Helen Dr, Dunedin, FL
/articles/city-to-fight-for-elementary-students-crossing-state-road-580
943902
/locations/8581640
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
The Pinellas County School Board's recent audit of the 2-mile walk zone for San Jose Elementary reveals that the city may have to shell out some cash for safety improvements so students can cross State Road 580.
Some San Jose Elementary students may have to cross five lanes of traffic to get to school next year. And Dunedin city officials are none too pleased. The Pinellas County School Board recently issued a letter to the parents of 53 children affected by a miscalculation of the school system's 2-mile radius rule. "Only those students residing more than 2 miles from their zoned school are eligible for transportation," writes Mike Burke, route and safety auditor for the Pinellas County School Board's Transportation Department. Software used to calculate the walk zone radius from the school access points did not pick up on the pedestrian entrance at San Salvador and San Helen Drive, the letter states. The school system said it would continue …
28.028712
-82.781934
San Jose Elementary School
1670 San Helen Dr, Dunedin, FL
/articles/students-walk-to-san-jose-elementary-could-cross-five-lane-highway
943902
/locations/8580926
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Elliot Stern will take on Janet Clark in the November general election for a seat on the Pinellas County School Board.
Incumbent Janet Clark collected 34.52 percent of the vote on Tuesday, which is not yet enough to secure her seat on the Pinellas County School Board. Now Clark and Elliot Stern, who came in second in Tuesday's primary, with 25.81 percent of the vote, will have a runoff in the November general election. Had she received more than 50 percent of the vote, there would have been no runoff. Clark collected 43,363 votes; 34.52 percent of the vote on Tuesday. Stern collected 32,418; 25.81 percent of the vote. "I'm pretty honored to have made the runoff," Stern told Patch. Stern says this is his first time running for any political office and he's very pleased with how well he did. He hopes to take this opportunity to reach out to voters and …
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Jackson wants to take the leap from working for the school district to help run it.
- ELECTIONS
-
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Name : Cassandra Jackson Age: 52 Place of Residence: St. Petersburg. Attended college : No Job titles held : Licensed Day Care Provider, Family Development Specialist and Paraprofessional Employers: Pinellas County Schools, Thurgood Marshall Fundamental Middle Party affiliation : Nonpartisan Running for : Pinellas County School Board Chamber/district: 7 Website: electcassandrajackson.com Experienced, committed and dedicated to the public school system, serving on various boards SAC and PTA as Co-Chair and President volunteering for 16 years and now currently employed with the district. Having 10 years experience combined serving as commissioner for the Pinellas County Housing Authority, 6th Judicial Nominating Commission and the St. Pete …
Flowers will be taking on four other challengers for the seat currently held by interim board member Glen Gilzean.
- ELECTIONS
-
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Name : Rene Flowers Place of residence : 240 39th Street South St Petersburg Florida 33711 Attended college : Yes College : Howard University, USF, Graduated from Eckerd College Degree : Organizational Studies Job titles held : Health Unit Coordinator, Marketing and Communications Specialist, Health Educationa and Prevention Specialist, Vice Presdent of Health Education Programs, City Council Member, EZ Ride Program Manager, Customer Care Representative, Corporate Trainer Employers: Bayfront Medical Center, Community Health Centers of Pinellas, City f St. Pete, Coalition for a Safe and Drug Free St Petersburg Inc, Neighborly Senior Services, Progress Energy, Gulf Coast Jewish Family and Community Services Inc Party affiliation : …
Christine Tsotsos
8:49 am on Saturday, February 2, 2013
Way to go, Ron. Mrs.Beatty is the board's secretary. Sometimes emails reach the board through her, sometimes they don't. I would strongly suggest you get to a board meeting and speak on camera. Bring the Mayor with you so both of you can have your 3 minutes each at the podium. News crews cover School Board meetings....2nd and 4th Tuesday of the Month. An email is not enough. more ›