Email from Rick Mills to school board, media on contract cancellation

Mills' email

Below is the entire text of an email sent by Superintendent Rick Mills to board members, and subsequently mebers of the media, on Wednesday:

Dear Board Members,

Based upon the authority delegated to me in the Request for Proposal MCSD No. 15-0031-SM, I elected the contractual right, on behalf of the district, to cancel the safety & security contract today by providing a written 30 day notice of termination to Sarasota Security Patrol, Inc., effective October 31, 2014.

I have been advised by our Staff Attorney, Board Attorney, and Special Counsel that the Government in the Sunshine law required prior notice to the public of the evaluation committee meeting. It was the conclusion of all counsel based upon diligent research, that the technical violation of sunshine law renders the contract void. This technical violation cannot be remedied by any subsequent school board measures. Exercising the District's cancellation rights will further protect the district and ultimately address the present litigation on behalf of Citizens For Sunshine, Inc.

Thank you.

Rick W. Mills

Superintendent

Manatee County School District

This story was originally published October 2, 2014 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Email from Rick Mills to school board, media on contract cancellation ."