Former Councilman: Century Should Sell Town Hall, Fire Dept, Library, Move Middle School

February 21, 2012

A former member of the Century Town Council believes the body should sell the town hall and library, moving them along with the fire department, “police” department and daycare to the Old Century High School. He also said the council should push the Escambia County School Board not to build a new $16 million facility at Ernest Ward in Walnut Hill, but rather move the students back to Century.

Jerry Fischer, who now lives outside of the town limits, made his suggestions to the Century Town Council during their regular meeting Monday night.

On Superintendent Malcolm Thomas’ proposal to rebuild Ernest Ward Middle School in Walnut Hill, Fischer said “That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard”. Fischer noted that Century has a sewage system and “we’ve got the post office, and we’ve got the prison”. He said the school board should move Ernest Ward’s students back to Century where the board has previously closed Century High School and Carver/Century K-8 School.

“It was predicted years ago what would happen in Century, but we sat in our seats and did nothing,” Council member Sandra McMurray-Jackson said. She did not serve on the council at the time of the Carver/Century K-8 closure.

Council member Annie Savage, who also was not on the council during the Century school closure, said “It’s not that we didn’t try”. Savage attended most every school board meeting for months in support of a school in Century.

Ernest Ward serves about 500 students in an attendance zone that includes Molino and Barrineau Park north to the Alabama state line, including Century.

Fischer also told the council that they should no longer deal with the “limited space” of the current town hall and library. He said the town hall and library should be sold and moved to the old Century High School building on Hecker Road owned by the Escambia County School Board. He suggested that the “police” department, (Camp Fire USA) daycare and fire department should also be moved to the old school to provide each group with more physical space.

Few of the agencies mentioned by Fischer are actually controlled or their physical locations owned by the Town of Century. The “police department” he mentioned is the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office which operates in the Billy G. Ward Courthouse building owned by Escambia County, while the Century Station of Escambia Fire Rescue  is also a county department operating in a county-owned building. Campfire USA operates in a town-owned building in the Century Industrial Park, and the Century Branch Library is operated by the City of Pensacola as part of the West Florida Library system in building owned by Escambia County.

Pictured: Jerry Fischer addresses the Century Town Council Monday night. Pictured bottom: Council member Annie Savage. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.

Comments

11 Responses to “Former Councilman: Century Should Sell Town Hall, Fire Dept, Library, Move Middle School”

  1. well on February 23rd, 2012 9:36 pm

    There is something called a charter school right?
    Yall could form a board, get approval, and run your own school!
    As for Century High, lots of memories but it was in pitiful shape in 79.

  2. Bob on February 21st, 2012 9:18 pm

    Just plain ridiculous Jerry you have suffered a heat stroke. Anyone can see that you got your children out of the environment and finally made some distinction. Now you have children wanting to learn and they are mainstreaming america. The ones that have not will walk the streets and be like what they they have been used to for all their lives. For christ sake stop playing politics with your childrens lives and let them be normal.

  3. century resident on February 21st, 2012 12:18 pm

    I agree with jerry. They have taken everything away from us. I couldn’t figure out why they put the library upon twenty nine to start with. I for one would love o see the ole century schools put to some good use for the people of Century. Jerry thank you for your input.

  4. concerned parent on February 21st, 2012 9:52 am

    Now if this don’t beat all I every heard. Mr. Fischer your grandchildern did not attend Century Carver but did attend EWMS as an AYP student. 2nd the Century-Carver building has been leased to PSC. So you want to run the off?? The old building would never pass inspection. You people need to move on.

  5. BCaro on February 21st, 2012 7:34 am

    No wonder Century can’t go forward. The mentality is backwards. Build a new building for the students to come because the next gripe will be the building is falling apart. I’m not sure why Century still elects a council, seems a little unproductive. Mr. Fischer needs to gain an understanding of the services in this County and the services in the town of Century. The sign going into Century mentions something about “a new beginning or dawning of a new day”. If that is so then do something new, build something new and think new. Paving roafs anx cutting ditches is old school thinking just to get somebody in office. Century has too many old properties and commercial buildings to not prosper. Century could be its own town like the City of Pensacola. Think 5-10 years down the road, not 5-10 minutes. Form committees that are a cross-section of the community. Get voices in theif that are young and imaginative. Don’t be afraid that someone will take your job. Teach them to do your job and train them to do it better. That is all for now.

  6. Cindy on February 21st, 2012 6:46 am

    I agree, this makes more sense than anything we have heard in a long time. Everyone should get aboard and make this happen.

  7. Coffee stinks on February 21st, 2012 6:43 am

    Wake up and smell the coffee, dear Century. You have a dying town (as is evident looking around the streets). Give it up for lost and quit coming up with all these stupid plans.

  8. Funnie on February 21st, 2012 6:41 am

    That’s funny. The Oh Great Town Of Century can’t move or sell the fire department, the library, the courthouse/sheriff’s office because they ain’t theirs, and they can’t sell the town hall because who is going to buy a building in Century? How long have they been trying to sell buildings in the industrial park?

    How much would it cost to renovate the old rotting high school? More than Century has. And how much would it cost to make it a fire station with truck bays? And bring the whole thing up to hurricane code?

    Rediculous idea.

  9. Proud of Jerry Fisher on February 21st, 2012 6:37 am

    good job Jerry, you need to come around alot more. The schools should of never been shut down!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  10. no one special on February 21st, 2012 6:20 am

    Jerry makes lots of sense. Century lost a couple of good families when Jerry Fischer and Roy Chancery moved. They had the best interest of the town in their hearts then. Listen to the advice given now.

  11. poplar dell on February 21st, 2012 3:51 am

    I agree with Mr.Fisher on moving all the students back to Century Carver.
    Sad to see a building go to waste,and it would save millons of dollars
    in the new structure.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News