The Ypsilanti Courier
A Heritage Newspaper
Weekly Publication
Board listens to concerns about the sale of Ardis
Residents cite increase in traffic
By Kathleen Conat, Special Writer
PUBLISHED: March 6, 2008
One of two topics of controversy at last week's meeting of the Ypsilanti Public School District's Board of Education was the proposed sale of Ardis School to the Hidaya Community Center.
Advertisement
During the public comment portion of the meeting, two speakers, Barbara Hale and Judy Bloss, protested the proposed sale, citing an increase in traffic and projecting there would be parking problems at the school. They also said they believed Hidaya would build a mosque on the property, as it had proposed doing on other property on Ellsworth Road.
Superintendent James Hawkins gave some background on the events regarding the sale, which had been approved in 2005 - 2006 school year.
He said the building had been appraised for $4.2 million and $4.0 million by separate appraisers. The building had then been listed at $4.0 million.
Shortly after that, the Salvation Army had come forward with a bid of $3.85 million, which had been accepted by the district.
The purchase by the local Salvation Army had needed approval from both regional and national boards, however, and those boards had repeatedly put impediments in the way of the sale. The district had worked with the Salvation Army to overcome these impediments for the past year and a half. The negotiations had become stalled.
Six weeks prior to this meeting, the Hidaya Community Center had put in a bid of $3.2 million, which the district rejected. The Hidaya group came back with the $3.9 million offer.
In the meantime, the Salvation Army had made a lower offer on the property, of $3.3 million. But, being told of the $3.9 million offer on the table, the Salvation Army has given up and withdrawn all offers.
The offer had been presented to the district's Finance Committee, which had recommended it be brought to the full board.
Hawkins said the current Hidaya School on Plymouth Road in Ann Arbor is "bursting at the seams." The purpose of buying Ardis School is to move 200 elementary students to the building, which was built to serve 500 Ypsilanti School District elementary students.
Hawkins added that the district can include a prohibition against the building of a mosque on the property as part of the sales agreement. The district can also add clauses such as getting first right of refusal, should the Center want to sell the property in the future.
In addition, Hawkins cautioned that the property must be sold before September, because the sale has been built into the budget for the past two years. If the building is not sold before then, he warned, the district will face a $2 million deficit and resulting layoff of faculty.
Fanta said no fault or blame was to be placed on the local Salvation Army in the negotiations that had gone on so long. But, he insisted, the building should now be marketed aggressively to "see what else it out there.
"We owe it to the community to put it on the tax rolls if possible. I've spoken with Ruth Ann Jamnick and the township will work with us on that," he said. The property is located on Ellsworth Road, just east of Hewitt Road, in Ypsilanti Township.
Horne said she was concerned about what happens if the district does not get another bid. Fanta countered, saying the district could aggressively market for six months and, if it didn't sell, could borrow money based on the value of the building.
Hawkins noted the district would have to have a bid before July 1, and notices of layoff before that to meet state law. He also said the district might not be able to borrow money on the building.
Trustee Tom Reiber suggested the marketing period be limited to 90 days, then accept the Hidaya offer, if no others were made.
Bates, however, said Reiber was assuming Hidaya would still be interested after that time.
"Hidaya is not competing for our students," Bates noted. "Marketing now is a gamble."
Fanta said he would not be stampeded into a decision through fear. "We've done nothing to market this asset. There has to be somebody who would broker this," he said.
Fanta continued, blaming the administration for not aggressively marketing the building in the past.
"How realistic is it to expect to find a buyer in 90 days?" Horne asked. Bates noted the market for selling property is getting more and more difficult every day.
Fanta said he blamed the district's chief financial officer, Alan Dowdy, for not calling Google when that company was looking for space in the Ann Arbor-Ypsilanti area.
Brumfield said he was satisfied that contingencies could be put in the sales contract, but thought any marketing effort should be shorted to 60 days.
Horne once again noted there was already an offer, at almost the full asking price.
Fanta reiterated that Jamnick had said the township would work with the district, Bates said that was fine, but as it appeared no township representative was present, they would have to set a meeting with Jamnick.
Brenda Stumbo then called out from the back of the room that she was the township clerk and could represent the township. She said she had found out about the proposed sale from residents and that the township had not been officially notified. She added she had not known the sale to the Salvation Army had fallen through.
Stumbo described traffic in the area of the school as "horrendous" and was against the sale. She added that she wanted public input when a sale does occur.
Carole Buckland, the real estate broker who has listed Ardis School and who brought Hidaya's offer forward, then spoke. She described Hidaya as being "on the look" for a school for 200 students. She assured the board it would have no other use than as a school.
"Hidaya students have high academic achievement and are active in their communities as good citizens," she said.
"Hidaya is ready now. It's a now thing. The closing is supposed to happen June 30 so the group can get the money from the various places where it's kept.
"This school will have sports, a PTA, school events and everything else associated with a school. But they are ready now."
Dr. Said Issa, a Hidaya member, noted that the school would have youth activities and senior activities. He also said they would educate about what the Muslim community really is.
Bates suggested sending the matter to the Finance Committee to discuss clauses to the contract, while, at the same time, looking into marketing. This suggestion met with approval by consensus.
Kathleen Conat is a longtime Ypsilanti resident and freelance writer for The Courier. She can be reached through editor@ypsilanticourier.com
Not all stories are guaranteed to appear
online. The Web edition contains a reasonable
sampling of the print edition stories.
For the most complete news coverage, we invite you to
subscribe
to the print edition of the paper.
TOP JOBS
