Rick Mills to end his Manatee County school days

EAST COUNTY —  Just more than two years after assuming the helm of the Manatee County School District, Superintendent Rick Mills announced Monday he will retire from his post this summer.

Although his contract ends June 30, 2017, Mill’s resignation will go into effect July 31. 

He plans to discuss his decision at the May 12 School Board meeting, but he told the East County Observer his leadership is being thwarted by individual motives, divided loyalties and “continued chaos … that’s inconsistent with moving forward.”

“I feel very good that in the last two years we turned the district around financially and academically,” Mills said. “But it’s time for me to think about what I want to do beyond the Manatee County School District. I can’t be successful in this environment. It’s that simple.”

Testing environment

During his 25 months on the job, Mills led to the district to a projected budget surplus after years of mismanagement; an academic ranking that rose to 37th in the state from 47th; and obtaining a positive bond rating. He also implemented a five-year strategic plan that sets budget and funding priorities based on community feedback.

“Mr. Mills has been a very positive influence for the district’s turnaround,” Deputy Superintendent of Operations Don Hall said. “I think the district had the leader who was necessary to take it to the next step, such as turning around an $8.9 million debt and closing out last school year at $14.4 million, with a surplus.”

Mills’ opponents labeled his handling of the budget, which included job and spending freezes, as “extreme.” Those measures, coupled with public controversies such as his handling of an assistant football coach’s assault of a student, spurred public criticism as well as school board conflict. 

Rumors have also circulated that Mills was intimidating teachers and parents through emails and other means. School Board Chairman Bob Gause involved legal counsel in the allegations and placed them on the agenda for this week’s meeting.

Questions about morale surfaced throughout Mills’ tenure.

During school board member Mary Cantrell’s bid for office last fall, many of her supporters who were retired from the district said teachers feared for their jobs and struggled with uncertainty .

Mills discussed morale during an interview with the East County Observer last week before he announced his retirement.

“I can’t say there aren’t disgruntled teachers,” he said. “I hear about lack of pay, health care costs being passed on to teachers and no pay raises. Those are the most common things.”

But Pat Barber, president of the teachers union, Manatee Education Association, said teachers never expressed fear or angst to her over Mills.

“There are a lot of issues we (as a district) need to work on, but I don’t know they’re ones he alone could have fixed,” Barber said. “Mr. Mills had a willingness to help solve problems.”

Mills feels the board faces a divide that he attributes to a deeper issue of an “old school versus new school” mentality. 

Some community members didn’t approve of Mills’ determination to unearth past wrongdoings and financial mismanagement under his predecessor, Tim McGonegal, school board member Karen Carpenter said.

“I think so much pressure and negativity was put onto Rick, because he challenged the old-boy and old-girl network,” she said. “He tried to professionalize what was going on. We were lied to for years about money and the budget. But Mills never lied to us.”

Carpenter said the district is now steering away from its goal of educating students.

“These meetings aren’t focused on children or education,” Carpenter said. “They’re becoming about people’s personal opinions. The meetings are circuses.”

Mills says his efforts to unite the school board have been met with opposition. 

“There are deep-rooted conflicts about the alignment of people to previous leadership, which causes a divide,”  he said. “I respect perspectives, viewpoints and loyalties, but we all need to come together to do what’s best for kids.”

What’s next?

Although district officials aren’t saying when Mills will be replaced or whom his successor could be, Carpenter anticipates an interim superintendent will be selected until a replacement takes office by the end of the year.

Because educators typically make moves in the spring instead of over the summer, Carpenter isn’t sure when a replacement will be available. She expects the Florida School Board Association will help in the search process.

Mills plans to continue living in the county. He might still live out the goal he has reiterated of making his time with the school district the final entry on his resume.

 “The community, the schools and the students are great,” he said. “I have pensions; I might just retire. I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished here the last two years.”

Contact Amanda Sebastiano at [email protected].