The Village Center Community Development District has voted unanimously to authorize District Manager Janet Tutt to develop a plan to potentially save the Villages Lifelong Learning College.
VHA President Fred Briggs had written to Tutt last week asking that she find a means to save the Lifelong Learning College via the VCCDD or the Sumter Landing Community Development District.
“It impacts everyone in The Villages, not just the VHA,” Briggs said at Wednesday’s VCCDD meeting.
It was announced last week that the Lifelong Learning College would shut down as the result of a lawsuit filed by deaf residents of The Villages seeking accommodation so they could take part in activities at the college. You can read more about that HERE
Tutt has already reached out to Villages Charter School Director Randy McDaniel to begin gathering operational information about the Lifelong Learning College, including financial data.
It was announced last week that the Lifelong Learning College would shut down as of Jan. 1. Tutt acknowledged that the spring semester is “lost.”
However, she is holding out hope that the summer semester could be reinstated, if the District finds a way to keep the Lifelong Learning College alive.
VCCDD Chairman Steve Drake asked what would insulate the District from a lawsuit like the one that threatened the Lifelong Learning College.
She said that District government is required to meet all federal guidelines.
“If someone had wanted an interpreter at this meeting, we would have had one here,” she said.
While far from a done deal, Tutt said she understands there is “angst” in The Villages over the loss of the Lifelong Learning College.
She said she had been approached by residents earlier in the day at the District’s Welcome Wednesday session.
Tutt said she and staff would “need to crunch numbers and get back to the board” potentially at the January meeting.
