When the School District purchased the sites for Avalon Middle School and Bennett C. Russell Elementary School, the District agreed to construct retention ponds and roadways to County specifications and allow the ponds to be jointly used by the future development surrounding the schools on property owned by the seller.

Following the completion of Bennett C. Russell Elementary School, the Santa Rosa School District received an email (dated January 9, 2008) from the Santa Rosa County Engineering Department (Chris Phillips, P.E.) containing a punch list of items the School District would be required to complete prior to deeding the retention ponds and roadways over to Santa Rosa County.

The mentioned punch list items were never completed by the School District.  Thus, the retention ponds and roadways never met County specifications and were never deeded to the County as originally planned.  Approval of this request will accomplish three goals: 1) bringing the retention ponds to acceptable specifications as required by the Santa Rosa County Engineering Department; 2) fulfill the School District’s original obligation to the seller of the property; 3) release the School District from any future maintenance or liabilities concerning roadways, drainage infrastructure and retention ponds.