Superintendent hosts 'Soup with the Supe'

EAST COUNTY — Manatee County Schools Superintendent Rick Mills sat perched on a stool at the front of a dark dining room, giving a State of the Union-style address about the school district’s recovery.

Mills spoke candidly to members of the public during the March 5 “Soup with the Supe” event held at The Ranch Grill in Lakewood Ranch. Attendees enjoyed a free lunch, served by Mills and two school board members, and learned about the latest district happenings.

As attendees sipped soup, Mills spoke about topics such as budget concerns, school board performance and class sizes.

In a particularly passionate moment, Mills promised to be transparent with the public.

“This staff will never hold information back,” Mills said. “I’m here to tell you that we’re back to fiscal stability.

Before, it was like a plane taking a nosedive. Now, we’re starting to climb and move forward.”

Contact Josh Siegel at [email protected].