D.C. Council Member Kwame Brown, D-at large, said Tuesday he plans to introduce an emergency amendment to jump-start an independent facility commission to address immediate repairs needed in D.C. public schools.
Brown said he would take that action at the council’s March 6 legislative meeting. The independent facilities commission is a component of Mayor Adrian Fenty’s schools takeover legislation. It would remove facilities’ maintenance powers from the school system.
The announcement of Brown’s amendment, which he said will mirror Fenty’s bill, came the same day as the mayor testified on behalf of his bill before the D.C. Council and one day after Board of Education President Robert Bobb and Superintendent Clifford Janey announced a $75 million repair “blitz” in 70 public schools to be completed by this spring.
A majority of council members already have indicated support for Fenty’s bill. Council Chairman Vincent Gray has said he expects a vote on the bill as early as April.
“Should we wait until June or May and then take the summer to put together a special commission?” Brown asked.
Fenty said Tuesday he was aware of Brown’s plan but had not yet reviewed it.
“There will be amendments,” the mayor said, “and I hope and expect that those amendments will not be to the guts of the legislation.”
