Birmingham, AL -
President Roderick Royal says, "We've exhausted this conversation for more than an hour." A conversation that councilor Steven Hoyt says needed to come to light. "It certainly engages us in the way that I think it needs to be," says Hoyt.
Hoyt proposed that the city gives money to the Birmingham school system to build its state required one-month reserve fund. Other councilors say Hoyt's intentions are good, but were still against it.
"I'm not opposing it, it's just the timeliness and the situation that we're in, it's not the right time," says Valerie Abbott with district 3.
Carole Smitherman, with district 6 says, "When we tried to come in and help ten years ago, they told us where to go."
"I'm not in favor of sending $15 million dollars or any amount to the school board at this time until, the school board gets together amongst themselves, as well as with the superintendent and everybody gets on one accord," says Johnathan Austin with district 5.
LaShunda Scales, with district 1 says, "The truth of the matter is, it seems like we're being more reactive, then we are proactive."
Shortly after the council declined to give money for city schools reserve fund, school board president Edward Maddox left without commenting, that's when school board member Virginia Volker stepped in.
"The future of this city and the future of education are in twined, as the education goes forward, the city will go forward, if education doesn't go forward, the city won't go forward," says Volker.
Hoyt says the bigger picture is about the students and says city council needs to sit down and discuss school board issues with the each other. "My resolution was much different than the previous resolution and the resolution only spoke to the issue of intent, that we intend to do something relative to our schools," says Hoyt.
