Orange County School Board declares Hungerford property surplus, approves MOU with Dr. Phillips Charities after heated public comment

The Orange County School Board voted unanimously Tuesday to declare the Hungerford property in Eatonville surplus and to approve a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Dr. Phillips Charities to begin development planning for the site.

The action followed nearly two hours of public comment during which dozens of Eatonville residents, town officials and community leaders spoke both in favor of and opposed to the proposed partnership. Supporters said the plan would bring early childhood services, jobs and infrastructure investment to a community with high poverty rates; opponents criticized the process as nontransparent and questioned whether the town council and the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) had been properly involved.

Board Chair Jacobs moved the meeting of the board to take the item out of order so it could be discussed immediately. After the public comment period, school board counsel explained that the board is using Florida Statute 1013.28 and State Board of Education rules governing educational plant surveys and disposal of property as the statutory basis for declaring land surplus. Counsel explained that proceeds from any sale would be credited back to the district’s capital fund as…