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Duval agenda committee declares four vacant elementary schools surplus, opens process for sale or lease
Summary
The Duval County School Board agenda committee declared four vacant elementary school properties surplus, the first formal step before possible sale, lease, mothballing or demolition; staff said charter operators have a right of first refusal and that security and further public notices will follow.
The Duval County School Board agenda committee on the morning of the agenda review declared four vacant elementary school properties — Kings Trail (#203), Arby Daniels (#162), Susie E. Tolbert (#128) and Annie R. Morgan (#201) — surplus and unnecessary for educational purposes, starting a multi‑step process that could lead to sale, lease or demolition.
Superintendent (name not provided) told the board, "This is stage 1 of a process," adding that declaring surplus is a necessary first step before staff can solicit interest, complete appraisals and return to the board with recommendations. He said the district will notify charter operators within Duval County and that those charters have a statutory first right of refusal to acquire properties at market value.
Board members pressed for clarity on timeline, community notice and safeguards against blight. One member urged transparency, saying the public should not learn of potential demolitions only when a bulldozer arrives. The superintendent said no demolition decisions have been made and that demolition or sale would return to the board for a separate vote.
Staff described interim security measures for vacant sites: regular patrols by the school district police and Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, fencing and boarding of buildings, and removal of valuable fixtures to limit vandalism. The superintendent said the district is working with its real‑estate advisor (TCG) to appraise sites and evaluate lease versus sale options, stressing that leases would typically require tenants to assume maintenance costs for buildings that need substantial investment.
Board members also asked how a surplus declaration would affect the district’s seat counts in the Florida Inventory of School Houses (FISH). Staff said sites remain on the FISH until they are sold or demolished; a lease would not remove seats from the inventory.
What happens next: surplus declarations trigger outreach to interested parties and to local charter operators; staff will return to the board with appraisals, proposed terms and community engagement steps before any sale, lease or demolition decision.
Provenance: Topic introduction at SEG 1730; discussion through SEG 2199.
Speakers (attribution whitelist): [{"name":"Superintendent (name not provided)","role_title":"Superintendent","affiliation_type":"government","first_reference":{"block_id_start":"SEG 195"}},{"name":"Board Member Pearson","role_title":"School Board Member","affiliation_type":"government","first_reference":{"block_id_start":"SEG 401"}},{"name":"Board Member Willie","role_title":"School Board Member","affiliation_type":"government","first_reference":{"block_id_start":"SEG 467"}},{"name":"Chair (name not provided)","role_title":"Board Chair","affiliation_type":"government","first_reference":{"block_id_start":"SEG 001"}}]
Topics: ["facilities","surplus_property","charter_schools","real_estate"].
