The battle between the Clay County Commission and the School Board over a proposed referendum appears to be heading to court.
The Clay County School Board wants voters to decide this November whether the superintendent should be an elected position, as it is now, or if it should be an appointed one. They asked the County Commission to put this measure on the 2014 ballot, but the Commission chose to delay it till 2016.
The School Board threatened to file a lawsuit over this decision Friday.
County commissioners reaffirmed this decision at an emergency meeting Monday, where they voted to hire outside lawyers to fight the lawsuit.
In addition to suing the Commission, the School Board is also said to be considering taking the proposed referendum directly to election officials. Clay County Elections Supervisor Chris Chambliss said it wouldn’t work since Florida law is very clear on the process.
“It requires the legislative body, which is the county commissioners, to place something on the ballot," said Chambliss. "So until the board of county commissioners provides ballot language to our office, we cannot place the item on the ballot, regardless of who asks.”
Chambliss said his office would need to get the referendum by September 4 in order for it to make it on the absentee ballots that will be sent overseas September 19.
You can follow Cyd Hoskinson on Twitter @cydwjctnews.
