Lauderhill resident urges city to press Broward schools on closures and bond spending

Alan Brown, a Lauderhill resident, urged city commissioners on Jan. 12 to remain engaged with the Broward County School Board after recent presentations and reporting that the district is considering multiple school closures.

“At our last commission meeting on 12/08/2025, our Broward County School Board official, Mr. Jeff Holness, gave a progress report of our county schools,” Brown said, noting follow-up media reports in which county officials discussed plans to close additional schools. He cited a reported budget shortfall of $95,000,000 and said county leaders had discussed plans to close three schools and, later, seven schools.

Brown also raised questions about bond spending, saying the county had set aside $7,000,000 “for Broward Estate” from an $800,000,000 bond referendum but that much of that allocation went unused; he said the remaining balance was roughly $5.67 million. Those figures were presented as Brown’s account to the commission and were not independently verified during the meeting.

Brown urged the commission to demand clarity from the school board and to ensure the city’s concerns are heard when county officials discuss closures and facility repurposing. “Please call us. You have our number,” Brown told commissioners, asking the city to keep residents informed and involved.

Vice Mayor Campbell said the city manager would address resident questions later in the meeting; no formal city action was taken on Brown’s comments during the public-comment period.

Why it matters: County school closings and bond spending can affect neighborhood schools, student assignments and local property uses. Brown’s remarks requested greater transparency and direct engagement from Lauderhill officials, but the commission did not take immediate action during the Jan. 12 meeting.