Pensacola council adopts interlocal agreement with county and school board on school facility planning, 6-1

The Pensacola City Council voted 6-1 to approve an interlocal agreement among the City of Pensacola, Escambia County and the School Board of Escambia County to coordinate public school facility planning and capacity.

Council member Wiggins moved approval and Council member Breyer seconded. The agreement recognizes the parties’ mutual obligation to plan for school capacity when new development occurs and authorizes the mayor to execute the agreement as amended.

City staff told the council that the interlocal agreement is required by the state and is intended to ensure cooperation when new subdivisions or large developments may affect school capacity. A staff member explained that if the parties request, the agreement can be renegotiated during its 10‑year period.

Council member Baer said he would not support the agreement, citing concerns that language calling for annual or regular meetings had not been enforced in the past. “If it says in here that the school board, the county, and the governing body… are supposed to meet on a no less than annual basis, then we need to figure out a way to do that. We can't just agree, yeah, let's let the county do it, and then never do it,” Baer said.

Council members who supported the agreement said it provides a framework to coordinate capacity planning as developments move through permitting. The motion passed 6-1.