Jacksonville council takes suprise vote on giving property for new school

The Jacksonville City Council in a surprise vote Wednesday voted  The vote came at the end of a council meeting called to discuss another matter in executive session. The council decided during the session to vote on providing the property for the school, giving opponents of the decision no notice that it would consider the issue. Four of five council members attended the meeting, and one, Truman Norred, voted against giving the mayor the authority to transfer the land to the board of education. He said he shares the views of many who oppose moving the school from the current Kitty Stone Elementary School campus near downtown.  The action by the council now gives the mayor the authority to negotiate the transfer of 20 acres of land near George Douthit Drive to the school board. It does not state whether the land will be donated or sold to the schools. City and schools officials have described the transfer in the past as a donation.  Some residents have asked the council to withhold the property from the school district to keep educators from building a new school away from the center of town. Early Wednesday before the called meeting, the council received the board's formal request for the land. The city was waiting until it received the letter to vote on the matter.

to provide property on the cities southside to the school system which will now allow the local school board to move forward with plans for a new elementary school near George Douthit Drive.