Advisory committee remains stalled in Manatee County

On Aug. 28, GreyHawk resident Brady Chapman joined an advisory committee that to this point has not done any advising.

While the Citizen’s Financial Advisory Committee is off to a slow start in advising the School District of Manatee County’s board, Chapman said eventually it will be an important job.

“I wanted to be on the committee so I could be a voice for East County,” Chapman said.

He said the advisory committee could be important in holding the board accountable when it comes to fulfilling promises made to the voters who passed a 1-mill property tax increase in March. He said if the board is held accountable, the taxpayers are likely to continue supplying the needed funds.

“We want to make sure the citizens remain as trusting in the county as they did when they passed the millage,” he said.

That is his hope, anyway. Since the advisory committee passed a charter in July, the school board has failed to approve the charter through three board meetings.

“We already have an audit committee and an auditor,” school board member Dave Miner said. “We don’t need someone to do what they’re already doing.”

If the charter eventually is approved, Chapman believes he will have an important role. He wants to get as many East County residents involved as possible.

“Other communities in Bradenton have a strong sense of community, and it’s easy for them to rally and get something done,” Chapman said. “East County is underrepresented in local government, and it’s hard to get people here to have a common thought because of the lack of community. I think my being on the committee provides a voice.”

Chapman was one of the leaders of the movement to keep the families in the GreyHawk and Mill Creek neighborhoods zoned for Lakewood Ranch High School when the district was zoning for the new North River High School in Parrish. He wants to make a similar impact on the board.

The 1-mill increase was only approved by a 51% margin, so Chapman said the taxpayers will be paying close attention to how the money is spent.

“We’re ready to go take a look at the finances and get started,” said Robert Christopher, chairman of the advisory committee. “I feel like any conflict that was happening between the school board and the committee has been resolved.”

The next school board meeting to consider approving the charter will be Sept. 11.