SR 24 changes, Newberry charter school, Archer’s financial emergency discussed at joint meeting between Alachua County Commission and Archer City Commission

BY DAVID LIGHTMAN

ARCHER, Fla. – A joint Alachua County Commission and Archer City Commission meeting was held on March 17 at Archer City Hall. Several topics were discussed, including new turn lanes on SR 24, funding for stormwater infrastructure in Holly Hills, the conversion of Newberry Elementary to a charter school, and Archer’s recent financial emergency. 

BMECRO honors Chair Chuck Chestnut

After the agenda was adopted, County Commission Chair Chuck Chestnut received a congratulatory plaque from BMECRO (Bethlehem Methodist Episcopal Cemetery Restoration Organization). BMECRO President Roberta Lopez said Chestnut was instrumental in putting together the Black History Program at the Archer Community Center on February 22, and that was the reason for honoring him; and, she said, he has also been helpful with fundraising over his many years of service. Lopez announced that she is retiring from BMECRO at the end of the year, after 20 years.

Upcoming changes to SR 24 (Archer Road)

Alachua Country Growth Management Director Jeff Hays discussed two left-turn lanes being constructed by the FDOT on SR 24 (Archer Road), one at SW 111^th Street and another at SW 143^rd Street, which should both be completed in the next few months. Hays said the County requested funding from the State to do a planning, design, and environmental study for widening SR 24 to four lanes from Tower Road to SW 122^nd Street. The $2.25 million in funding was approved, Hays said, and the year-long study will begin soon. He said the funding for the final engineering design will be requested from the State this year. Archer Mayor Fletcher Hope asked how the locations for the new left-turn lanes were selected, and Hays said it is always based primarily on crash data.

Holly Hills stormwater grant

The next item for discussion was the Holly Hills stormwater grant matching assistance. Mayor Hope said he had asked for the agenda item because Archer had to release some grants following their financial emergency, but they still need a grant for the Holly Hills stormwater management. Hope said a Suwannee River Water Management District representative told him that there may be some grants available, but they would require the County to provide matching funds, and he was hoping for some guidance on who to speak with at the County level. 

Chestnut answered, “I don’t [know who to direct you to]… Get with our staff.” Hope said he would obtain more information about the matching grant from the Water Management District and forward it to the County.

Newberry charter school

The upcoming Newberry charter school was the next topic. Mayor Hope said he always has concerns about school boundaries because Archer has its own elementary school and Newberry Elementary’s change to a charter school is cause for more “heightened concern.” 

County Commissioner Marihelen Wheeler, who had arrived late to the meeting, responded, “I went to that meeting, the School Board meeting last week. And the Newberry citizens that were against the school came forward and asked the School Board to please challenge what had come down about the school, and they’re going to do it. The School Board is going to challenge. That is the best place for you all to make your concerns made, and it’s the School Board, because that’s actually where the power is. But I can tell you, having been to this school, that what you have here, it is a jewel, and I highly recommend that you do everything you can to make sure it’s protected… It’s odd and somewhat ironic that the only elementary school in the County that got an A is the one that they were trying to make, you know, take out of the public service, and so, you know, there are a lot of concerns about that. I just happened to, I was invited by some teachers to come to that meeting, and I just happened to be there when the Newberry school came up.” Wheeler tried to reassure Hope that the public’s desire to convert elementary schools to charter schools shouldn’t “be a contamination issue” that would spread to his community from Newberry.

[Editor’s note: Alachua County Public Schools had five elementary schools with an “A” grade for the 2023-24 school year.]

Archer Vice-Mayor Iris Bailey said, “(Newberry) Mayor Marlowe had sent a message that he was going to try to make it. I don’t know if he’s still trying to make it, but it is only Newberry Elementary, so it doesn’t affect our kids unless they are actually students at Newberry Elementary. At this point, however, I’m not sure, but I do believe that Newberry said they were going to try again for the middle school and the high school. And if they do try to get those switched over, then it will affect all of us, so we definitely need to be vigilant and paying attention to what’s going on with that.” 

Archer Commissioner Joan White reminded Bailey that Newberry Elementary’s charter school conversion “is being challenged.”

Bailey added, “There is a bus that buses a few Archer kids here to Newberry Elementary, so, you know, it does kind of affect us.”

Archer’s financial emergency

Hope said the next topic was discussing Archer’s financial emergency. He said the City discovered last November that it had $1.5 million in outstanding debt, and they fired the City Manager. Now the debt service is about $200,000/year, including penalties for late payments, and it was just paid three weeks ago for this year, he said. 

Hope said they put $76,500 of their $300,000 in Wild Spaces Public Places money for the year into an account that will be used to make future debt payments, and they will be doing the same thing for the next two years. He noted that Dallas Lee has been helping the City since their City Manager’s departure, although Lee is no longer available to help as much since assuming the duties of Newberry Interim City Manager. Hope said they are about to begin their search for a new City Manager, and they are currently being helped by some temporary contract employees.

Addressing any members of the media listening to the meeting, Hope said they are no longer $1.5 million in debt. Currently, he said, the debt stands at just over $980,000. 

County Commissioner Ken Cornell thanked Hope for his update. He commended Hope for the staff’s new monthly reviews of all financials, and he encouraged them to get all of their bank reconciliations up to date as soon as possible. Cornell asked if the State or the Joint Legislative Audit Committee has offered any assistance as far as refinancing the debt. Hope said he has heard no response so far.

County Commissioner Mary Alford said, “I want to echo about everything that Commissioner Cornell said, and also to congratulate you guys for taking the bull by the horns and getting it under control.”

Wheeler said, “I just want to congratulate you on the speed with which you all have been able to address and remedy this. I’ve always been a big fan of Archer. You know, the folks here, the integrity that is very much a part of this community – and I really do appreciate the fact that you all got right on this… We are the best cheerleaders you’ve got.”

Public comment

During the public comment period, Reverend Melissa Pisco of Archer First United Methodist Church said, “If there’s anything that we can do, if you need us praying, if you need us showing up somewhere at School Board meetings or wherever, you let us know, let me know, and we’re here to support you any way we can.”

Commission comment

During Commission Comments, County Commissioner Anna Prizzia complimented the owner of the downtown Gainesville business How Bazaar, who was present at the meeting: “What his local business is doing is really amazing. It’s really bringing a new light and life in community to downtown Gainesville, and young people that are creative and have good positive energy. So I recommend you plug him in, and maybe someday he’ll even run for office here in Archer.”

Wheeler, who is from Kentucky (known for its bourbon distilleries), said she hopes to add a local Archer drinking establishment to the “Sippin’ Seven” list (now the “Ale Trail,” with eight establishments) that the County promotes.

Cornell said, “My brother and I, we grew up in Oak Crest, right off Newberry Road, and I spent my summers growing watermelons in Newberry and Archer. And that’s how I was initiated to Archer… We have your back… You all are great. I love you very much.”

Alford said, “I’m gonna try not to cry. I moved up here, you know, three years ago, and this is my backyard now. And y’all are my neighbors, and when everybody was walking up here to speak, I could write about everybody’s name down before they got up to the podium because I take notes on everything that everybody says, and I couldn’t do that three years ago. And it’s so good to know you all. And it’s so good to have you all in my backyard.” 

All of the Archer Commissioners thanked the County Commissioners for coming and for their support.