0078 RESOLUTION — `l
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WHEREAS, THE REPORT OF THE URBAN SERVICE SURVEY OF PULASKI COUNTY HAS
DEMONSTRATED THAT, ALTHOUGH PULASKI COUNTY IS, IN FACT, A COHESIVE ECONOMIC
ENTITY, NEVERTHELESS THE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE TO ANY CHILD WITH-
IN THAT ENTITY ARE WIDELY DIVERGENT, DEPENDING ON WHICH OF THE THREE SCHOOL
DISTRICTS OF THE COUNTY ENCOMPASS THE RESIDENCE OF SUCH CHILD, AND,
WHEREAS, THE REPORT OF THE URBAN SERVICES SURVEY HAS DEMONSTRATED THAT
SUCH DIVERGENCE IS DUE ALMOST ENTIRELY TO THE WIDELY DISPARATE BASIS OF AS-
SESSED PROPERTY VALUATION ON WHICH THE THREE SCHOOL DISTRICTS MUST DEPEND FOR A
MAJOR PART OF THEIR FINANCIAL SUPPORT, AND, MOREOVER, THAT PROJECTIONS INTO THE
FORESEEABLE FUTURE SHOW THAT THIS DISPARITY WILL NOT BE DECREASED, AND,
WHEREAS, THE REPORT OF THE URBAN SERVICES SURVEY HAS DEMONSTRATED THAT SUCH
DIVERGENCE OF EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS HARMFUL TO THE
ECONOMIC FUTURE OF THE PULASKI COUNTY METROPOLITAN AREA AND HAS RECOMMENDED A
CONSOLIDATION OF THE THREE SCHOOL DISTRICTS OF PULASKI COUNTY AS THE MOST EFFECTIVE
MEANS By WHICH SUCH DIVERGENCE AND INEQUALITY CAN BE ERADICATED IN THE FOLLOWING
WORDS, To WITS EARLY CONSOLIDATION OF THE THREE SCHOOL DISTRICTS INTO A SINGLE
COUNTY WIDE SCHOOL SYSTEM, BASED.ON PRIOR PREPARATION OF A CHARTER. OF CONSOLID.
ATION SPECIFYING TRANSITIONAL PROCEDURES ASSURING EACH DISTRICT OF REASONABLE
PROTECTION OF THE LEGITIMATE INTERESTS OF SCHOOL PERSONNEL, BOND HOLDERS AND
CONTINUING PROGRESS IN THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION, AND FURTHERMORE HAS DEMONSTRATED
THAT SUCH CONSOLIDATION WOULD PROVIDE DESIREABLE EFFICIENCIES IN THE ADMINISTRATION
OF PUBLIC EDUCATION IN PULASKI COUNTY, AND,
WHEREAS, THE COMMITTEE OF 100 FOR PULASKI COUNTY HAS PREPARED PROPOSED
LEGISLATION THAT WOULD PERMIT THE PRACTICAL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE FOREGOING
RECOMMENDATION.
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NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: THAT THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL of
JACKSONVILLE, ARKANSAS, HEREBY DECLARE AND RECORD THEIR ENDORSEMENT AND SUPPORT
OF THAT PORTION OF THE REPORT OF THE URBAN SERVICES SURVEY FOR PULASKI COUNTY
THAT PERTAINS TO THE PUBLIC EDUCATIONAL SYSTEMS OF PULASKI COUNTY AND PARTI-
CULARLY OF THE RECOMMENDATION HEREINBEFORE STATED, AND,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: THAT THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL OF JACKSONVILLE,
ARKANSAS, HEREBY DECLARE AND RECORD THEIR ENDORSEMENT AND SUPPORT OF THE PRO-
POSED LEGISLATION PREPARED BY THE COMMITTEE OF 100 FOR PULASKI COUNTY FOR
THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING A PRACTICAL PROCEDURE FOR CONSOLIDATING THE THREE
SCHOOL DISTRICTS OF PULASKI COUNTY.
ADOPTED:
ATTEST: APPROVED:
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