Council pulls the county's school-funding vote from tonight's agenda, refers it to a new three-member committee

What happened

Council President Steve Ellis pulled the county commissioners' roughly $222 million school-funding request off tonight's voting agenda and instead created a new three-member committee — himself, Randy Gentry, and Nancy Alsop — to gather more answers before the full council votes. Ellis said keeping the item off the agenda meant the council would not be forced into a vote within a week of tonight's presentation. The oversight board recommended this same plan on August 12 on a 5-0 roll-call vote, and tonight's meeting was the point at which a council decision had been expected. After the commissioners' presentation, Commissioner Mark Clinkenbeard proposed that the commissioners, the oversight board chair, and the superintendent meet with the committee within the next week to answer its questions; Ellis had said moments earlier that once the council's questions were answered, it would move forward.

The outcome

Pulled from tonight's agenda and referred to the new committee; no vote was taken.

Sources

• Committee formed for school funding review, 13:21
• "Why we're not forced to vote next week," 25:14
• Commissioners offer to meet the committee within a week, 2:39:50
• Oversight board's 5-0 roll-call vote, Aug. 12
• Related: Oversight board recommends Option 6.2, Aug. 12
• Related: Ledger/Highlights/2026-09-01-vigo-county-council-sunshine-commissioners-school-funding-presentation.md

Also known as: school funding vote · Option 6.2 · the $222 million school plan · East Side high school · West Vigo renovation · school funding review committee