Second RTC hearing set for December 14
By Dave Kucifer
November 29, 2006
The second public hearing
concerning the possibility of bringing a Residential Treatment
Center for boys ages 9 through 17 has been scheduled for Thursday,
December 14 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Navasota Center, 101
Stadium Drive.
At the first hearing, held November
21 at the proposed location in eastern Grimes County, individuals
and NISD representatives asked questions and voiced concern
regarding Daryl and Tarnesia Gardner's plan to operate a state
licensed treatment center on the 100-acre ranch the couple recently
purchased.
The Gardners' plan to operate the
facility as Gardner's Kids RTC would provide housing for boys who
might have disruptive behavioral and adjustment disorders, a result
of lack of adjustment at school, oppositional-defiant disorders and
minor infractions with law enforcement.
According to the brochure provided
by the RTC: boys are functioning at or above a 70% IQ level.
While there were many questions,
raised at the first hearing, the major concern was voiced by NISD
officials who will be required to provide education for the
residents. Navasota Superintendent of Schools, Jennings Teel told
RTC personnel the district did not have adequate funds to meet the
added needs of additional students that might require special
services. “We are a small school district”. Teel said. “We are
strapped for funds and to add additional personnel, space and other
special needs would stretch available resources to the limit.” Teel
questioned the depth of research and study planners had conducted
before choosing the Grimes County location.
Gardner is a former Baylor
University and NFL player, his wife,
Tarnesia, holds a Bachelors of Art
in Psychology degree from Baylor.
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