It has taken almost a year, but members of the Gainesville City School Board have finally approved a site plan for a new building for Enota Elementary School - also known as Enota Multiple Intelligences Academy.
The decision came at a called meeting Wednesday at school board headquarters, and while board members came to the meeting with the thought that a plan would be approved, the decision did not come easy.
School Board Chair Dr. Delores Diaz, about 45 minutes into the meeting, expressed frustration when Board Member Sammy Smith suggested they might not reach a consensus. Smith asked Diaz if the architects and builders could push back their deadlines for building the new school, giving the board more time to talk.
"We've worked on this for almost a year and I cannot imagine needing more time," Diaz said. "We've had these plans [two amended plans from architects] in front of us for 10 days or more and we've asked questions today. We need to arrive at a decision."
"Was that a 'no'?" Smith asked.
"It could be interpreted as a 'no' from me. I don't speak for everyone," Diaz said. "I just think all of us are frustrated. I think the whole community is frustrated because we can't make a decision."
Board Member Willie Mitchell, who was silent for all of the session, ultimately called for a vote on what is known as Plan 2D.
"I understand your frustration," Mitchell said to Diaz. "I'm frustrated, too. We have been back and forth on this Enota thing and it is time to make a decision."
Mitchell said he felt comfortable that the Board had finally honored its commitment to get community input on the project.
"The thing about input is you can keep on [getting input] but there has to be a time frame and a deadline, and I sense today is our deadline," Mitchell.
Once Mitchell made the motion, Smith asked to add amendments to the plan - including preservation of the two student-planted maple trees in front of the school, installing interior transom windows and salvaging of bricks from the old school for donation to the Enota PTA for fundraising.
Ultimately, Smith agreed to forego the amendments when his fellow board members told him they would discuss those three suggestions and three others on his list at an upcoming board meeting.
Diaz called for a vote on Plan 2D, and it passed unanimously.
After the meeting, Smith said he was satisfied that the Board had come together and finally made a decision on a new Enota.
"It's been a very, very long and trying process," Smith said. "Secondly, I did offer some supplemental thoughts to add value to Plan 2D and if those thoughts can be considered seriously in the future, then so be it."
Total cost for the new school under the approved site plan is estimated at $17.6 million. The bulk of the funding for the new Enota building will come from ESPLOST V proceeds; $6.5 million would come from the state.
Under Plan B, the Smartville Educational Garden, which was built and has been maintained by community volunteers, would be uprooted and relocated. Engineers have said they will try to maintain components of the old garden for relocation, but they have acknowledged most plants would be too stressed to survive.
The new Enota school would open in the fall of 2018.
The next meeting for the school board is Monday, October 17 at 6 p.m. at the Gainesville Public Safety Complex.
