HIGHLANDS NEWS-SUN Friday, October 4, 2019 VOL. 100 | NO. 277 | $1.00 YOUR HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER SINCE 1919 An Edition Of The Sun Schrader declines AP interim position By MARC VALERO basis is meeting, Anderson planned to rec- Councilwoman Brenda Gray said STAFF WRITER many times ommend the city’s code enforcement Monday evening that she had asked offered the magistrate, Thomas Thanas. Schrader if he would be willing to serve AVON PARK — Mark Schrader has position on Thanas, who has an extensive law as the interim city manager if selected decided not to accept the interim city a perma- background and an impressive record by the council and he said he wouldn’t manager position with the City of Avon nent basis. as a city manager of Joliet, Illinois, told mind doing that. Park, but indicated to City Council on He said Anderson he was no longer interested Schrader’s selection was by a 3-2 vote, Thursday evening that he might apply he did not in serving in the interim basis. with Anderson and Deputy Mayor Jim for the position on a permanent basis. SCHRADER ANDERSON want other Instead, the council agreed to have Barnard voting “no.” Mayor Garrett Anderson met with qualified City Clerk Kim Gay serve as the interim Schrader, who retired in 2017 as the Schrader Wednesday afternoon at candidates city manager, and Danielle Phillips chief deputy with the Highlands County which time Schrader told Anderson he to be discouraged from also applying serve as the interim finance director Sheriff’s Office, was one of the six would not be accepting the position. for the position. However, he did until a city manager is hired. applicants who interviewed for the city Schrader told council Thursday indicate that he too might submit his At Monday’s special council meeting, manager position in December 2018 evening that it has been his experience resume for consideration. the City Council selected Schrader to that someone brought in on an interim As he did at Monday’s special serve as interim city manager. INTERIM | 4A District revising Legislative delegation meets student conduct policy County, schools By MARC VALERO ask for funds STAFF WRITER By PHIL ATTINGER STAFF WRITER SEBRING — The School Board will consider approving revisions to up- date a student conduct rule concern- SEBRING — Local government and ing acts and threats to school safety. school officials asked local Florida The revised School Board Rule legislators on Thursday for funding to 5500 Student Conduct deletes the improve emergency response, trans- word “serious” concerning a threat to portation and infrastructure. school safety to mean it applies to all Other agencies and officials thanked threats. Rep. Cary Pigman (R-Avon Park) and “The School Board has zero toler- Senator Ben Albritton (R-Wauchula) ance for conduct that poses a threat for the work they’ve already done in to school safety,” the revised rule helping Highlands County, and asked states. them to continue. County Commission Chair Jim New language states, “Those acts HCSO PHOTO that pose a threat to school safety Brooks said the county needs higher include, but are not limited to: pos- communication fees to support 911 The Highlands County Central Dispatch Center. Higher communication fees to support 911 session of firearms or other weapons, emergency dispatching, indexed emergency dispatching was one of the requests made Thursday to Rep. Cary Pigman and placing, discharging or throwing an gas taxes to better pay for roads and Senator Ben Albritton. explosive item or noxious substance support for initiatives to widen and “Text 911” by 2020. He also wants to see improvements or making threats to do so, arson, improve State Road 70. Highlands County Government to east/west corridors: State Roads 70, felony assault, threats of unsafe Brooks also asked legislators to already subsidizes the system, he said: 64 and 66, as both hurricane evac- and potentially harmful, dangerous, amend requirements or provide funds $484,740 in Fiscal Year 2018, or 53% of uation routes and congestion relief violent or criminal activities viola- so the county, which recently topped the cost. once the state builds the “Southwest tions as noted in the Board-adopted 100,000 people, can build a separate Likewise, Brooks said if local op- Connector” in a decade. Student Code of Conduct.” storm sewer system and reach recy- tion gasoline taxes were tied to the Brooks said SR 70 had gridlock The rule notes that Florida law cling goals. Consumer Price Index, local govern- at U.S. 27 during evacuations for requires a student be expelled from Brooks said Florida’s 911 fees on ments could receive enough funds to Hurricane Michael last year. It is also their regular school for not less than telephones have stayed at 40 cents keep up with road maintenance and one year, with or without continuing per month since 2015, while the state construction. DELEGATION | 4A educational services, for offenses requires local 911 dispatchers to have such as bringing a firearm or weapon to school or school function or mak- ing a threat or false report involving a school. For other serious offenses, such as assault or aggravated assault or battery or aggravated battery, the student will be removed from the classroom immediately and placed on a 10-day out-of-school suspension pending further disciplinary proceed- ings, according to the rule. New language in the rule states, “The district shall enter into agree- ments with local law enforcement specifying procedures so that acts that pose a threat to school safety, whether committed by a student or adult, are reported to a law enforce- PHIL ATTINGER/STAFF ment agency having jurisdiction.” The School Board will consider From left: Florida Rep. Cary Pigman (R-Avon Park) and Florida Senator PHIL ATTINGER/STAFF approval of the policy revision at its Ben Albritton host a meeting at midday Thursday to hear concerns meeting at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday in the from local government officials and citizens and learn what actions Highlands County Legislative Affairs Grant Coordinator Sydney Garland Boggus Board Room, 426 the Florida Legislature have taken or what people would like them to Armstrong and County Commission Chair Jim Brooks address the School St., Sebring. take in regard to those issues. county’s legislative delegation early Thursday afternoon. Sebring Parkway progressing Phase 3 nearly done; Phase 2, moving slowly By PHIL ATTINGER Dec. 31, 2019. with the city on that, but still roundabout at the hospital’s north parkway instead of one. STAFF WRITER Howerton said that doesn’t doesn’t have the plans. entrance. Howerton has said that Wawa involve pavement as much as The last time he reported to County Administrator Randy will pay for adding the turn lane. SEBRING — Sebring Parkway the paperwork: Inspections the County Commission on the Vosburg said some complications However, FDOT has asked the Phase 2, part of the original plans and filings that must be turned matter, in early June, he’d already that have slowed completion of county to pay the extra $40,000 for the Sebring Parkway system, in to Florida Department of been waiting on those plans for plans for that section of road have for what will now be a mast arm has a few hurdles to mount before Transportation, District 1, but some time. included not only city issues, but instead of span wires for traffic going to bid. which can be done after the road Commission Vice Chair Ron also the eminent construction of a signals. Meanwhile, according to reopens. Handley suggested Howerton go Wawa station at the corner or U.S. State regulations require local County Engineer Clinton Meanwhile, Phase 2 of the ahead and request bids without 27, opposite HRMC. governments to replace span Howerton Jr., Road and Bridge Parkway is still waiting on utilities that information, expecting to Plans had to accommodate wires with mast arms, to be crews should have the four-lane to get moved. make a change order after the entrances and exits for the hurricane resilient, whenever Phase 3 and the two-lane Sebring At Tuesday morning’s meeting, fact. upscale gas station, convenience they are removed or updated with Roundabout open to traffic by county commissioners asked The southern section of the store and eatery. more signals. the end of November, barring any about Phase 2, and Howerton said Parkway runs from Youth Care Also, with the expected increase In this case, Howerton said, the delays. he’s still waiting on plans for water Lane to U.S. 27 at Highlands in traffic to and from Wawa, mast arm will have to be longer The project deadline for Phase lines and force mains for the Regional Medical Center and FDOT wanted the project to add than 87 feet, and will require 3 has recently moved to April sewers on that section of road. will include improvements at the an extra left-turn lane, sending an anchor post far larger than 2020, when the deadline had been He said he’s been trying to work DeSoto Road intersection and a two lanes of traffic into the normal. 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