Open Letter to Chris Cowart
Dear Mr. Cowart:
You are running for Levy County Superintendent of Schools, primarily on your accomplishments as a member of the School Board since 2012. I have a question about where you stood on a particular issue: disposal of the 17-acre property on which the Williston Middle School once stood.
In June 2016, the Ministerial Faith Alliance (MFA) came to the school board and presented an offer to purchase the property for a community center, asking for a price. The price: $2 million.
Mr. Cowart, what was your stand in establishing that price?
In the following 18 months, MFA worked on a blueprint for a center that would serve all of Williston.
On May 31, 2017, in The Williston Pioneer, MFA President Johnnie Jones announced a new name—The Legacy Center—a title befitting what MFA would do once it owned the property.
The previous week more than 50 community leaders had met to discuss what they could do to make their dream a reality.
Seven key services had been determined from the very beginning: youth recreation, health center, senior center, community resources, education center and commerce center.
The seventh was to be a center for non-profits that did not have permanent locations. The Legacy Center would give them offices.
Letters poured in offering services, and before long other ideas were incorporated—fitness trail, community garden, business incubators, free clinic. Health care workers and other professionals were volunteering.
Community partners included College of Central Florida, Levy County Sheriff's Office, United Way of North Central Florida, Boys and Girls Clubs of America and 30 other organizations.
On February 1, 2018, The Williston Pioneer reported the school board had offered to give the property to the City of Williston.
Mr. Cowart, what was your stand in making that decision?
The following week Pastor Jones appeared before the Williston City Council. He was joined by supporting community leaders, including members of Citizens for an Engaged Electorate (CEE).
Jones said the only stumbling block for MFA’s acquiring the land was the price tag. He said time, effort, research and money had gone into MFA’s business plan, and he detailed the commitments and memoranda of understanding with several agency partners.
Editor Carolyn Ten Broeck quoted him as saying, “We need support from the city. It would be a waste of your resources to reinvent the wheel.”
In a different meeting of the city council, several members of CEE stood to ask the council to accept the property as a gift from the school board and then either sell it at a reasonable price to MFA or enter into a long term lease.
This plan did not find favor.
I called the city manager to press again for the city’s selling or leasing the property to MFA. He told me the city could not be sure “those people” would hold up their end of the bargain.
CEE drew up petitions stating support for the Legacy Center and began collecting signatures all over town.
I posted a description of the Legacy Center plans on Levy County Word of Mouth, a place where folks are not shy about speaking their minds, and there is usually some point of contention that brings sharp words.
Every single response was positive. Everyone who responded was enthusiastic about the possibility.
The city declined the gift, and the decision again rested with The Levy County Board of Education.
In the background, beyond public notice, the board decided to set the property out for bid. Pastor Jones was invited to present MFA plan, along with two other entities.
Mr. Cowart, what was your stand regarding inviting two other organizations to present proposals.
Jones presented his plan unseen by the public, and he did not see the other presenters. We do not know how long they had to draw to up their proposals because none of these negotiations was done in the sunshine.
On May 25, 2018, the decision was announced in The Pioneer. The Levy County School Foundation had been awarded the property as a gift. The organization’s plan was to sell it and use the money for scholarships.
Mr. Cowart, why did you not vote at that meeting? There were five people on the board. Two people voted for the Foundation; two, including you, abstained; one was absent.
After nearly two years of MFA’s creating detailed plans for a community center that could have been the jewel of Williston and Levy County, two people on the Levy County School Board decided to give the property to someone else. The other three were MIA.
The Foundation’s price of $1 million brought no buyer. Neither did the reduced price of $750,000.
Now the property continues to decay, becoming an eyesore and a blight that would compete with the old Winn Dixie property if it weren’t for the fact the old school does not sit on a main road. It is out of sight and, apparently, out of mind.
I have asked where you stood, Mr. Cowart, but it is clear where you stand now—amid the rubble of a property that could have been something good for the community if you had actually taken a stand.
Sincerely,
Drollene P. Brown
Co-founder, Citizen for an Engaged Electorate (CCE)
