Polk leaders to state board on Poly independence: Slow down!

Posted Nov 2, 2011 by Lindsay Peterson

Updated Nov 2, 2011 at 12:31 PM

The people trying to put the brakes on USF Polytechnic’s independence bid gathered 214 signatures on a resolution sent the state Board of Governors yesterday.

“We feel that the issue of separation is being politically driven and is not in the best interest of education for our county and our region,” wrote David Touchton in his letter to board chairwoman Ava Parker.

The signers include Dean Boring, of Boring Business Systems; Wogan Badcock, of Badcock Furniture; David Bunch, of Hauger-Bunch, Inc.; and banker Theron Stangry, a former president of the Central Florida Development Council.

County Commissioner Bob English also signed, as well as Lakeland City Commissioner Glenn Higgins, Polk school board member and former mayor Frank O’Reilly and Hollis H. Hooks, a former school board member now of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney.

See who signed here.

The resolution asks that the state university system take at least a year to do a “thorough, objective, public, fact-based analysis of the issues and impacts to support a rational future decision.”

The independence bid, being pushed by state Sen. JD Alexander, became public just three months ago.

The board of governors plans to vote on it next week.