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Board and staff plan joint meeting with county over Jensen Beach playground interlocal
Summary
Board members discussed an interlocal agreement for Jensen Beach Elementary’s playground after county staff proposed shifting after-hours operational responsibility to the school district. Staff said meetings with county staff and legal counsel are scheduled and the board asked to include the item on a joint meeting agenda.
Board member Ms. Roberts raised the issue of Jensen Beach Elementary’s playground at the June 3 Martin County School Board workshop, saying she was not sure “where we are in the process” and that the County Commission had been discussing changes to the interlocal agreement.
Dr. Miller, speaking for district staff, said the county submitted a request in November asking for a change “only for the playground area at Jensen Beach Elementary School” that would shift after‑hours operational responsibility to the school district. "The gist of it is they would like us to take over the operations after school hours," he said, adding staff are “perfectly happy to continue to utilize the playgrounds and our fields and things during the school day” under the existing arrangement.
Dr. Miller said the district has a meeting planned at Jensen Beach Elementary within the next two weeks that will include Tyson Waters, county staff and the county attorney, and that the district has involved Mr. Coco for historical perspective on the interlocal agreements. He said staff has kept Ms. Roberts informed because the school is in her board district.
Board members said they want clarity from county commissioners about whether the Commission intends to continue managing community use of district facilities. Ms. Roberts said she had spoken to Commissioner Vargas, who had been told by county staff that the decision was purely a staff matter, and she had also spoken with at least one other commissioner who said they were unaware discussions were taking place.
Several board members said they do not believe the district is in the business of operating parks during non‑school hours and requested that the Jensen Beach interlocal be on the agenda for a joint meeting with the County Commission so commissioners can state their intentions publicly. The district’s staff agreed to send board members a spreadsheet listing all interlocal agreements and to update the board after the upcoming Jensen Beach meeting.
Board members also asked staff to include related facilities such as the school track on the agenda and to ensure PTA or playground fundraising groups have an opportunity to be informed of discussions. Dr. Miller said staff would provide updates after the county meeting and that, if an agreement could not be reached via staff discussions, the matter should come to the joint meeting for both boards to consider.
No formal action or vote on changing the interlocal agreement was taken at the June 3 workshop; staff said the district has been returning proposed revised agreements to the county when they conflict with district practice and that further action will depend on outcomes of staff-level meetings and any joint meeting direction.
