Tensions are high in Eatonville as leaders and residents wrestle with the future of the town's historic Hungerford property. In a series of meetings highlighted by discord, the Eatonville Town Council clashed with Mayor Angie Gardner over the controversial sale of the land to Dr. Phillips Charities, a nonprofit organization. As reported by ClickOrlando, Councilman Tarus Mack expressed his disapproval during a three-hour meeting, saying, “I just want to say for the record, what you did was wrong.”
The council members, who were confronted with a deal they claimed was approved without their input, accused Mayor Gardner of sidelining them in the decision-making process, fueling a heated exchange. “This is a five-person council. You don’t make this decision for us,” according to a statement obtained by ClickOrlando, Vice Mayor Theo Washington argued during the meeting. Meanwhile, some council members pushed for tax benefits for the town, suggesting their power in the decision was limited as they do not own the property. However, Eatonville's attorney noted that the council can still make recommendations on the property's future use, according to WESH in a report.
Eatonville, among the oldest historically Black towns in the country, faces a critical moment in determining the fate of the Hungerford property, a vacant land parcel once home to a pioneering educational institution for Black students in the South. With Dr. Phillips Charities proposing a development plan that includes an early learning center, a health facility, and a museum, the urgency for reaching a consensus has been amplified. The Orange County School Board, which voted to approve the deal in September, supports Mayor Gardner's backing of the sale, but several council members dispute being adequately involved. Gardner, on her part, cited feedback during an Orange County Public Schools meeting and supporting emails as evidence of an open process.
The town finds itself in a race against time, needing to produce a set of recommendations before the school board votes on the final contract with the charity as early as January 13.
