Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Historic Preservation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Residents urge New Port Richey council to preserve 1922 Gulf High School property and release related financial records
Summary
Speakers from the SOS/Gulf High alumni and neighborhood groups asked the council to preserve the historic 1922 Gulf High School (Schwetman Center), provide a revised sales contract and full CRA financial statements, and hold a joint public workshop with the school board before any sale or redevelopment decisions.
Several residents pressed the New Port Richey City Council on April 15 to keep the former 1922 Gulf High School property in public hands and to make city financial records related to the site public before any further negotiations with the Pasco County School Board.
Bevah Stephenson Carey, representing the SOS 1922 GHS properties group, told the council the group “respectfully ask[s] that the city council respond to the request we make tonight when appropriate” and asked for the promised results of the March 28 city memo and any revised property‑sale contract. She asked the council to “share results of that meeting promised in the message as well as any revised property sales contract that the city council is considering.”
Multiple other speakers backed that call. Donna Pendlin Jensen said the property “qualifies for CRA funds” and urged the council to comply with Florida’s Sunshine Law by publishing the revised contract and a full financial report for the CRA, including balances and income/expenses. Marybeth Isaacson described several community partners — Saint Leo University, the University of Florida and the Ritchie Community Orchestra — she said are prepared to support cultural, scientific and educational programming at the site.
Bill Stevens urged the city to follow Pinellas County’s recent acquisition of a nearby parcel for parkland, saying he would like the city to “preserve it as a park for the citizens of New Port Richey.” Multiple commenters, including Marlo Jones, asked new council members to honor campaign promises for public workshops and to deliver “all of the documents” that community members have requested in a timely manner.
Council members and staff acknowledged the concerns. City staff told the council they had met with the school board on April 3 and were awaiting follow‑up materials; the city attorney and city manager said they had met with school‑board representatives and were still waiting for information from the school board’s counsel. Several councilors said a joint workshop or additional public hearings would be useful before any final decision.
The council did not approve a sale or enter into a binding agreement during the meeting. Council members repeatedly encouraged continued public engagement and said staff will follow up on the documents requested by the SOS group and others. The city manager and city attorney said they would continue to seek the outstanding materials and report back to the council.
