A TALE OF ONE PERSON...AND TWO CITIES

Ronnie Clark is a member of the Escambia County School Board, elected over two years ago to serve the Panhandle county which includes Pensacola. It seems that a number of his constitutents have a problem with him because his work and School Board duties often conflict. He's a minister.

No, this is not one of those "church -vs- state" conflicts. The problem is that when he was elected, he pastored a church in Pensacola...no issue. But since his election, Rev. Clark has resigned his pastorate there and taken the position as minister of Hurst Chapel AME Church...in Winter Haven, 500-plus miles from Pensacola.

Critics say that he has become hard to reach, and has missed a number of required School Board meetings and workshops. Now the Pensacola News Journal in it's editorial is joining the call for Rev. Clark to resign. There has been word that Rev. Clark would, indeed, step aside effective in February.

He is able to keep his $32,000 a year position due to the fact that he has maintained his legal residence in Escambia County. But that's a long streach of driving for anyone, not what I would call an enjoyable commute.

The News Journal is right. If you cannot adequetely serve your constitutients properly, there's a choice that has to be made. The only reason to truly keep up this type of commute is for the ESCB payoff, which I am sure Hurst Chapel AME cannot match. Maybe the good reverand can move to Polk County...we certainly need some change on our school board.