During its Tuesday meeting, the Alachua County Commission opposed implementing a selective admission process at P.K. Yonge Developmental School and approved an at-large county election charter amendment to be placed on the November general election ballot.
The Alachua County Commission condemned switching the admissions process at P.K. Yonge in a resolution, which will be submitted to the UF Board of Trustees.
Proposed by Commissioner Ken Cornell, the county initiative follows a City of Gainesville resolution passed June 8 in response to a proposal by UF PK-12 Vice President Penny Schwinn at a March 8 UF Board of Trustees meeting.
Schwinn recommended changing the school’s admission process from a lottery system to a selective model offering enrollment focused on student achievement and performance.
Using the original Gainesville resolution, Alachua County substituted itself as the governing body for the resolution’s reading in-meeting.
The County Commission urged P.K. Yonge High School to continue to “reflect the diversity of the state of Florida” and allow students to benefit from the “power of diverse ideas, talents and cultures that improve our world,”
It is unclear whether the UF Board of Trustees will address the resolution at its June 13 meeting.
The commission also unanimously approved a Charter Amendment advocating for at-large county commission elections to appear on the November general election ballot.
While Alachua County constituents can currently only vote for the commissioner residing in their district, voters will gain the opportunity to weigh in on any commissioner on the ballot regardless of district if the resolution is enacted following the election.
Tyler Foerst, a North Central Florida Central Labor Council field representative and Gainesville resident, said during public comment he received an updated voter registration card and was frustrated by his inability to vote for a county commissioner this year.
“It’s already happening, even to me,” he said. “I just want the chance to choose who represents me on this commission. We’re asking you to give the voters the option to have an honest debate.”
The meeting also included an annual report presentation detailing accomplishments of the fiscal year and a budget development presentation for 2025.
Presented by County Manager Michele Lieberman, the annual report featured Public Works Director Ramon Gavarrete and included 11 county commission offices. He noted the 2023 transportation capital improvement program, which included approximately $252 million dollars over a 10-year period, passed by the Alachua County Commission.
The commission was “one of a very few governmental entities to do so in the country,” he said.
Environmental Protection Department Director Stephen Hofstetter presented the completion of a countywide climate vulnerability analysis, noting the acquisition of 870 acres of environmentally significant land by Alachua County Forever Program.
Along with the opening of Fire Station 80 on Southwest 24th Avenue, a new medical training facility was also completed on Northwest 34th Boulevard, said Alachua County Fire Rescue Chief Harold Theus.
Tourism Development Director Jessica Hurov said the county granted nearly $2.7 million to 74 organizations to support “sporting events, arts, nature and cultural programming, and dozens of festivals, special events and conferences.”
Alachua County also participated in the Arts and Economic Prosperity study quantifying the economic and social value arts and culture play in a given community sponsored by Americans for the Arts.
The results reported the county generated nearly $190 million in economic activity, with about $140 million in audience spending and $50 million in spending by organizations. Arts and culture efforts supported nearly 3,000 jobs and generated $33.1 million in tax revenue.
In addition, 57% of cultural attendees in Alachua County are non-local visitors.
The next Alachua County Commission meeting will take place June 25.
Contact Sara-James Ranta at sranta@alligator.org. Follow her on X @sarajamesranta.
Sara-James Ranta is a third-year journalism major, minoring in sociology of social justice and policy. Previously, she served as a general assignment reporter for The Alligator's university desk.
