At its board meeting on Sept. 10, the Escambia Children’s Trust opted for a rollback millage rate rather than maintaining the current tax level. The meeting combined both a preliminary tax hearing and regular board session.
After extensive discussion, the board unanimously voted to adopt the rollback rate of 0.03798 mills, representing a decrease from earlier proposals. Executive Director Lindsey Cannon explained the reasoning behind this decision.
- “What I will tell you is we had some good news just today,” Cannon reported. “In fact, from the Early Learning Coalition, although they’re sustaining a cut, it’s about half of what they thought it was going to be and the gap that they’re experiencing they were thinking before would be 400 to 500 kids. They’ve been able to look at that through at attrition to see, and the gap would be around 140 children.”
Board member Stephanie White expressed support for the rollback. “I would prefer the rollback rate. I feel like that we just like what Ms. Cannon said that we’re going to have, we have some great news in the community and that we’ve also been able to recapture some funds, but I also want the public to know that the trust is making a difference.”
Community Voices Administrative Concerns
The public comment period brought forward pointed criticism about the organization’s spending priorities. Citizens questioned reports suggesting high administrative costs versus direct services to children.
Michael Waldo, a concerned taxpayer, challenged the board directly: “From my research, I will quote from a WEAR report dated May 21st… In that report, 88% of the expenditures by this board was for salary and benefits. I’m going to refer to that as administrative. Thus, about 11% went to actually benefiting the children.”
Commissioner Lumon May sought clarification on these figures, asking for transparent data on administrative versus direct service costs. Finance Director Tammy Abrams clarified that their administrative rate as an organization was “about 5.94” percent, with the remainder going to programs that necessarily include salaries for direct service providers like tutors and counselors.
Mental Health Programs Show Mixed Results
Program Director Deborah Ray presented detailed year-end reports for the trust’s five mental health programs, revealing both successes and areas for improvement. The review process included site visits and a detailed financial analysis for each provider.
- Several programs requested budget reductions for their third year, including the Boys and Girls Club, which reduced its participant target from 350 to 260 and its budget by 27%. Ray explained the rationale: “I think having those conversations and offering those explanations and them being stewards, good stewards of their finances and noticing, I think this is the second year that we’ve noticed their expenditures have been lower consistently.”
Looking Forward
Despite the controversy, board members emphasized their commitment to transparency and community engagement. Board member Tori Woods invited critics to participate more directly in the organization’s work: “I would love for you both to come to a program committee meeting… We also do have, in the next year, grants that we vote on; we do allow people to apply to sit on those committees, to read through those grants and help us make those decisions.”
The meeting concluded with approval of the Early Learning Coalition school readiness match contract renewal, continuing a partnership that supports working families with childcare funding gaps.
Elephant Ignored
Missing from the board agenda was any discussion of the Pensacola Little Theatre returning misappropriated Trust funds and whether the Trust should continue to fund the organization.
On July 24, the Pensacola Little Theatre sent a check to the Escambia Children’s Trust. The cover email from attorney Jim Reeves, who serves as PLT’s finance chair, said, “I am sending you herewith a check in the amount of $65,631.69 together with a list of reimbursements that you made to Pensacola Little Theatre that we have determined were in error.”
Payment came nearly two months after Sid Williams resigned as the cultural organization’s executive director, regarding what the PNJ reported as “recent concerns regarding ‘disputed expenses’ brought to PLT’s Executive Committee. The Board of Trustees issued a statement after we reported on the check:
At The Clark Family Cultural Center and the Pensacola Little Theatre, our mission has always been to enrich our community through the power of the performing arts. Over the past 90 years, the theatre has grown in ways our founders could never have imagined. We are incredibly proud of the recent improvements made at the Clark Family Cultural Center and are deeply grateful for the generations of support that have made this possible.
Recently, concerns regarding disputed expenses have been brought to the attention of members of the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees. Since then, the Executive Director has submitted his resignation.
A thorough financial review independently certified all findings. All parties have been satisfied with the resolutions and reparations made.
The incredible artists, staff, volunteers, donors, and patrons of Pensacola Little Theatre deserve nothing less than full confidence in the organization. We remain focused on our mission, and please be assured that all upcoming productions, programs, and capital campaign improvements will continue as planned.
In appreciation,
Pensacola Little Theatre Board of Trustees
Since our report, Cannon has stated that the Trust has asked the Florida Auditor General to review the reimbursement. However, she gave no report on the situation.
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