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Moran Admits He Wrote Charter Application, Just Trying To Help
August 14, 2008
Century businessman Jack Moran admits that he is the one that wrote the controversial charter school application that has dominated the local news this week.
The application was filed at the eleventh hour by Rev. Irvin Stallworth with Escambia County School Board for a charter school in Century as a last ditch effort prior to the closing of the current Carver/Century K-8 School. Members of the Century Blue Ribbon Committee speculated at their Monday night meeting that Moran was the author of the 81 page document submitted by the Century Blue Ribbon Committee on Education and the Century Community Development Partnership.
“Yes, I wrote the application,” Moran told NorthEscambia.com. The document was a huge effort over a 30-45 day period, but he said he thought the document he wrote was just a preliminary application. It was, in fact, the final draft application for the Charter Magnet School at Century, according to Vickie Mathis, director of the Department of Alternative Education that administers the charter school program in Escambia County. The document contains many incomplete sections, including the proposed budget for the school and letters of support from the community.
Moran said he sat down with Carver/Century K-8 School Principal Jeff Garthwaite some months ago and offered his “expertise” to help with the school’s budget and look for ways to improve the school. Moran said that as a retired corporate reorganization specialist, he offered to help Garthwaite reorganize and restructure the school. Moran said he made the same offer to Escambia School Superintendent Jim Paul. Neither man accepted his offer, Moran said.
“I was really interested in helping the school,” Moran said. “I knew I had the skills.”
Moran said he was approached by Stallworth and asked to help with the charter application “as a board member of the Century Community Development Partnership”. Moran is not listed as a board member of the organization in corporate documents filed with the Florida Secretary of State’s Division of Corporations.
When asked about that, Moran said “I just know that I am the treasurer”.
Moran said he was told by Stallworth that he polled the board members of CCDP to determine if they supported filing for the school charter under CCDP until a new nonprofit entity could be formed. Board members contacted by NorthEscambia.com said that they were never polled and had no knowledge of the charter application until after the story was first reported by NorthEscambia.com. Read that story by clicking here.
“It would have been the kiss of death for the town to be without the school for a year,” Moran said, referring to the fact that if the charter application had not been filed by August 1 the charter school could not have been obtained by the 2009-2010 school year.
At a meeting of the Century Blue Ribbon Committee earlier this week, Principal Jeff Garthwaite, who is also a member of the Blue Ribbon Committee, blasted the document written by Moran.
“That charter will not fly as it is written,” Garthwaite (pictured left at a Blue Ribbon Committee meeting) said. Previously in his career, Garthwaite actually worked in the school district’s Department of Alternative Education, the department that reviews charter applications. “There are so many missing pieces to that document. There are some serious gaps. There are several issues that are left very vague. If our name is attached to it, you don’t want junk going forward. You want a quality document.”
Moran had harsh words Wednesday for Garthwaite, saying that he did not know that Garthwaite had school charter experience.
“If he (Garthwaite) knew what it took, and he did not step forward and offer to help,” Moran said, “that sucker ain’t got no reason to be teaching children.”
“Jeff Garthwaite did not step forward and ask or tell me and my wife what we could do after I visited his office,” Moran said.
We have left messages and made multiple attempts to reach Stallworth since Sunday, but as of early Thursday morning he had not returned our phone calls.
To see the Century Community Development Partnership, Inc. annual statement as file with the Florida Secretary of State, click here. This document lists the legal board members of the CCDP.
Comments
10 Responses to “Moran Admits He Wrote Charter Application, Just Trying To Help”
To Ms Garrett,
I hope you realize my suggestion was tongue-in-cheek. If you recall, in my letter I said that I didn’t think so.
Thanks for the feedback!
In answerto J. Simmons, No thanks to his offer of Mr? Moran to Bratt and Walnut Hill I think we will pass.
Century Girl,
To answer a few of your questions…. No, I do not know Mr. Moran that well. I do know his wife.
What I said about the council member was in the paper. I do read the paper and keep up with some happenings in Century.
No, I do not live in Century any longer. I moved due to things that started happening, like the traffic being out of control… completely different subject.
I was just giving an opinion, but as they say opinions everyone has one.
I did not say the paperwork is the way to keep the school open nor do I proclaim to know everything, as I admit, not only do I not know everything, I am sure I do not want to know everything.
If you will read my post, the power tripping was regarding someone accusing Mr. Moran of being on a power trip and trying to be in control….. I didn’t direct that comment to this council member.
Good luck to everyone and I hope they can somehow manage to keep the school open.
I don’t know where all the feelings against Mr. Moran came from, but as I stated, I don’t live there anymore so I am going back into the corner and sit quietly and stay out of it, undoubtedly my opinion hurt someones feelings and that was not my intention. I
Michelle, do you really know the facts. You need to list what you know because you don’t know everything. Do you even live in the city limits? Filling out paperwork is not the only thing to keep a school open that only helps Jack Moran and Rev. Stallworth start a new one. The ones that you claim that are attacking Mr. Moran are the ones really in truth are trying to save the school and are stating the true facts. How many meetings have you attended or are you just repeating what you are told from Mr. Moran. And as far as Mr. Garthwaite not excepting Mr. Moran’s help maybe he knows the real Mr. Moran. You seem to know Mr. Moran so well you have him list all his corporate reorganizations. You said ask him for some examples, but we don’t want to hear him blow smoke. You said he talks intelligent to those who know no better. And before you start accusing people of “power tripping” and wanting to grasp all the power this council member that you spoke of aruging with helicopter guy it was because Mr. Moran wants him “helicopter guy” out of the industrial park, and yes he did get rid of the code enforcement , and it might be because there again Mr. Moran supportede this man to go into office with $1200.00. His last canidiate that he so graciously gave $1500.00 to was the only Century name placed upon this so called school application. Now talk about power and corruption . And as Paul Harvey says that’s the rest of the story.
This, ladies and gents, is why the town of Century (and the entire county to some respect) will never attract new corporations that could provide real careers.
The goings on of our civic leaders oftentimes reads like a script for Green Acres. Pure comedy if it weren’t so damaging to Escambia County’s image.
Good luck Laurel… (and Hardy).
I feel I must say something here. Some folks are defending the principal of this school, you say he has more knowledge in his little finger than the “concerned citizens” around Century? Then why hasn’t he gotten off his little finger and filled out paperwork to help the school? He claims he doesn’t want to see the school close but in turn doesn’t do much to help keep it going.
And to the ones attacking Mr. Moran’s trying to help Century: What have you done to help? I don’t see where his trying to help has hurt anything, more like he woke a few people up that now maybe will do something. At least he stepped up and did what he could, maybe he didn’t know all the answers but when help is offered to the principal why did he not accept and work together with Mr. Moran to save the school?
I am a former student of Century Elementary, Carver Middle and Century High School. My family lived in Century for many years and I would be and am very thankful for the help Mr. Moran is trying to show to the families and children of Century.
I have seen a major change in Century over the past 20 years or so (not for the good). It is an embarrasment to have people drive down 29 in some areas and see the trash and debris that fills the town anymore. I wish that a few more people cared like Mr. Moran to fight for what they believe instead of sitting in the corner very quietly.
People are always dowing Century, I was hoping that the town could change their mind and make more people want to move further north in the county to get out of the hustle and bustle like in Pensacola. Why should they want to when the people in Century just bicker back and forth and can’t agree on anything (especially if it is Mr. Moran’s idea). This man has an extensive background in corporate reorganization, ask him for some examples. He speaks very intelligently.
As far as that goes, Mr. Moran could just sit back and watch the school’s closing and do nothing, then you all would complain he did nothing to help.
Century needs to wake up and try to get themselves back on the map. Make people realize how nice the people can be and what a nice place it is. (Like it was in the late 70’s to late 80’s when people actually cared what happened and you could walk the streets and not have to lock a door. If you needed help your neighbor would come out and offer it. You weren’t scared for your children to play in the front yard, without some idiot running off the road flying and almost wiping your home and child out).
I see on TV where the council members are getting into arguements with the helicopter guy. Oh yeah isn’t that the same council member that talked the town into throwing out the code enforcement because they were doing there job and said something to his mother in law? I believe so.
Before you start accusing people of power tripping and wanting to grasp all the power, you need to think, if all the people started moving away from Century that own businesses, what would you do? Hmm, I don’t think there would be a Century if that happened. There has been a strain on the town since the hospital closed and businesses started vacating. The Morans have helped many, many people through their business. If they go, I bet CVS won’t help you like that. It is the personal touch you receive that makes a big difference.
Stepping down from the soap box.
Whoa! Just because we do no live in the town of Century means we should not care about OUR school? M;y children go there! Yes I have a say. So does Mr. Moran and any other citizen who has connections with the school. Especially someone, anyone who can help.
I am hearing there are just certain people who shoul have a say, or can “help” the school.
IF THIS IS SO WHY HAVEN’T THEY DID IT
Thank you to anyone who has tried to help. Putting forth the effort.
Mr. Graithwaithe, what are you waiting on. Nice walk, big down town man, where’s the talk. You know the old, “Get er’ done”,.
Are you really concerned? Or just a person sent to make it look like help is on the way?
ACTION, is what we need. Work together.
This is a WE problem. Not just within City limits problem.
Williar Purell
Repectfully
If you are not familiar with the Florida Secretary of State’s Division of Corporations, it is a requirement that you file every year and update board members names, addresses, etc. If Mr. Moran is the Treasurer as he says, then it would be on the state’s records. If he says he is the Treasurer and he is not “legally” then what other information filed with the state is incorrect?
Excuse me, but isn’t Mr. Garthwaite on the town’s charter school committee! That man has more knowledge in his little finger than “concerned citizens” who think they know what needs to be done.
Something has smelled fishy from the very beginning. If the other people on the CCDP committee had no idea what was going on (and evidently they did not) then believe me they will distance themselves so they don’t go down with a sinking smelly ship.
An “eleventh hour effort” yet it took forty five days to fill in only partial information. If the application is any example of how this proposed charter school will be run, it should be declined. Also, if you had 45 days to get this application together, could you not have involved the other groups that had a vested interest in keeping the school open. Something smells fishy but nobody is frying mullet.
Where does this person stop in his efforts to control Century? One false statement after another by him and now Stallworth is caught making up stories (“he polled the board members of CCDP”). Mr. Moran seems to be on a power trip and has been since he came here.
He says he is a “retired corporate reorganization specialist.” It’s been said he called himself a retired CIA agent who, when he thought he was going to be accosted at a Century Town Council meeting, blurted out “I’m tired of all this killing!” He’s been everything under the sun, to hear him talk.
I am of the opinion he is nothing more than a power-hungry controlling person who wants to feel important by “helping” any- and everything in the town. I don’t think it showed any class when he made the statement “that sucker ain’t got no reason to be teaching children” in responding to Principal Garthwaite’s alleged inaction.
Perhaps Moran “ain’t got no reason” to be acting outside of established community efforts, bypassing regular citizens working earnestly to make a difference, when he formed his own “Blue Ribbon Committee.” No reason, except perhaps to boost his own feelings of self-imprtance. He’s done this before, mind you.
As for the offer of help, I suspect Mr. Garthwaite already knew what kind of man he was and wanted nothing to do with him.
Mr. Moran should give Century a break and get outa town. Oh, I forgot – he IS out of town. Not even a resident of Century. Perhaps the good folks at Bratt and Walnut Hill, where he is a resident, would be receptive of his offers of assistance to make their lives better. I don’t think so.
Or is it that he thinks the poor people of Century are more easily fooled and follow him more readily?
Moran, thanks for the meddling, but many people in Century don’t want it. I wonder if, in that infinite wisdom, he can understand that? I think it may be time for him to back out, go sit in a corner, and be quiet.