March 13, 2006 Board of Education Meeting

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March 13, 2006 Board of Education Meeting; Your thoughts.
Tweet Topic Started: Mar 12 2006, 04:45 PM (4,551 Views)
Administrator	Mar 14 2006, 12:19 PM Post #31
Administrator Posts: 3,069 Group: Admin Member #1 Joined: October 5, 2005	Sorry grantmom, is that "to his attorney", or Dr. Leipa will answer "through" his attorney? I could not really hear what he said.



NFarquharson	Mar 14 2006, 12:28 PM Post #32
Principal Posts: 4,311 Group: Members Member #103 Joined: November 9, 2005	Mr. Wojcik spoke to the BOE with all due respect and asked legitimate questions in light of past issues with our school board. They only relate to the LI in so much as they effect the financials of the district, but they are still appropriate questions to ask. If the BOE were not so defensive right now, they could simply explain in their comments what happened and why they made that decision. Here is some of the history that has some people speculating: LIVONIA SCHOOLS: District To Pay $20T To Settle Land Sale Suit -------------------------------------------------------------- In a settlement agreement submitted to Judge Pamela Harwood last week in Wayne Circuit Court, Livonia Public Schools has agreed to pay $20,000 in attorney fees to a residents' group that sued the district last year for allegedly violating the state's Open Meetings Act when it discussed selling the old Rosedale School site in closed session, The Detroit News reports. The settlement also calls on the school district to make public minutes from five closed sessions it held to discuss the Rosedale School site, which Judge Harwood ruled in July was illegal. Superintendent Randy Liepa did not return a call seeking comment on the settlement, but Cynthia Heenan, an attorney for plaintiffs Tim Bailey, Jan Alfonso, and the group, Friends of Open Spaces in Livonia, said she was pleased with the outcome. "It makes it absolutely clear that the public's business has to be conducted in public," Ms. Heenan said. The settlement quietly puts an end to the lawsuit Friends of Open Spaces filed last year after the district voted to sell the old school site at Orangelawn and Cranston to developer William Roskelly. _________________________________ With regards to the land swap that happened for the Rosedale and Stark properties and again for the property near the career center that was bought up last night: Would it not be better to have property assessed as to it's fair market value by a real estate expert and then have an appropriate bidding process to ensure that the district is getting the most money possible from the sale of land? This might also avoid the appearance of impropriety or some kind of special deal with Mr. Roskelly or any other developer. I am not making any accusatitons at all here and the land sales may have been quite legal (other than the OMA violation,) but are they good decisions made in the best interest of the school district? Just asking.



grantmom	Mar 14 2006, 12:50 PM Post #33
Principal Posts: 288 Group: Members Member #176 Joined: December 5, 2005	Jimid Mar 14 2006, 12:19 PM Sorry grantmom, is that "to his attorney", or Dr. Leipa will answer "through" his attorney? I could not really hear what he said. Whitehead told Liepa that... we'll answer that in a letter to the lawyer, Leipa "answered "absolutly". Not sure what that means.



professionalmom	Mar 14 2006, 02:07 PM Post #34
Principal Posts: 244 Group: Members Member #293 Joined: January 26, 2006	Michelebel Mar 14 2006, 11:58 AM Timetoheal Mar 14 2006, 11:32 AM Perhaps if the speaker had thoroughly done all his research prior to audience communications, he would have seen the following from the 8/1/05 board minutes: "Transfer of Property: It was moved by Mr. Bailey and supported by Ms. Scheel that the Board of Education of the Livonia Public Schools School District authorize the Director of Administrative Services to execute an agreement with the Leo Soave Building Company in regards to the 3.65 acres of LC/TC property (tax item No. 124-99-0012-001) and execute any and all necessary documents." So, once again, I would suggest you get your facts straight prior to posting and speaking out of line! Once again, I believe this individual owes the BOE and apology for false innuendos! Well, once again Mr. Wojcik has made a bit of a fool of himself!! He was trying so hard to make the BOE look bad, and implying once again that they did something underhanded, that he brought up something that HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE LI!! He sure did a lot of running around and digging to find something to pin on them, but in the end, the did exactly what they said they were supposed to do: discuss it at a BOE meeting. Did Mr. Wojcik think that this just happened within the last month? Does he not realize that real estate deals take while from approval to actual transfer of property? Or was he so eager to find something unsavory, that the minute he found some paperwork to make his point, he figured he had a good case. I guess I'm just a bit tired of Mr. Wojcik trying to make the board look bad or accusing them of doing something underhanded. Don't we already feel like they've done something wrong? Do we need additional proof? I don't think we do, and Mr. Wojcik is just making us all look bad........once again. Can we just stick to the LI and why we don't like it and work to getting it stopped, instead of digging up everything little transaction the BOE is a part of, and hoping they've done something wrong?? I don't believe Mr. Wojcik made a fool of himself at that meeting. You need to be made aware of some information. With Regards to the Rosedale School were you aware that St. Mike's made a legitimate offer to LPS to purchase the old Rosedale school with the intent of using it for the 7-8 graders? An appraisal was done on the property. St. Mike's came to the Homeowners association to get their blessing and then submitted an offer to LPS prior to the expansion that was done on the current school. LPS rejected the offer and stated in their reply something to the effect, our goal is to keep school property not to sell it. Three years later they turn around and sell the property to a "consultant" that works for the schools. I'm sure that that wasn't the plan when they rec'd the bid from St. Mike's. Mr. Roskelly was bargaining with the schools with a piece of land he "bought" from Mr. Soave for $1. In summary....RECALL the BOE!!!



Momforone	Mar 14 2006, 03:29 PM Post #35
Principal Posts: 127 Group: Members Member #131 Joined: November 16, 2005	According to the City of Livonia's website and Wayne county's website this property is still title to Livonia Public Schools. The transaction was never recorded if it was completed. Transfer of propery is an interesting wording. What happen to the word SALE of property. I guess we need to keep a heads up on the Planning Commissions and City Council meetings. Also, for you people out there, it is required by the city that all sales transactions after closing be reported to the city with 45 days, or the purchaser will be fined 5 dollars per day, or maxium fine of 200.00. Right now, because the school district is shown as owner, there are no property taxes being paid on this parcel. If the property was closed sometime in September, the County should have had ownership transfer by now. So Mr. Wojcik was accurate in his questioning. I find it really interesting that Mr. Soave isn't pay taxes on this land if in fact he does own it.



professionalmom	Mar 14 2006, 04:01 PM Post #36
Principal Posts: 244 Group: Members Member #293 Joined: January 26, 2006	I also feel the need to mention that LPS demolished the Old Rosedale School using taxpayer dollars prior to its sale. This in effect was prepping the land for the "new owner". [Case in point.... the owners of the George Burns theater did not tear down the theater they sold the property as is.] How did they know that the knew owner wouldn't want a school there? hmmmmm. <_< Nice to know what the "stewards" are doing for the developers in this area. That is why I applaud Mr. Wojcik. Thank you for expecting the BOE to be accountable. WAY TO GO!!



rooseveltparent	Mar 14 2006, 04:03 PM Post #37
2nd Grade Posts: 11 Group: Members Member #350 Joined: March 13, 2006	Momofone Mar 14 2006, 03:29 PM According to the City of Livonia's website and Wayne county's website this property is still title to Livonia Public Schools. The transaction was never recorded if it was completed. Transfer of propery is an interesting wording. What happen to the word SALE of property. I guess we need to keep a heads up on the Planning Commissions and City Council meetings. Also, for you people out there, it is required by the city that all sales transactions after closing be reported to the city with 45 days, or the purchaser will be fined 5 dollars per day, or maxium fine of 200.00. Right now, because the school district is shown as owner, there are no property taxes being paid on this parcel. If the property was closed sometime in September, the County should have had ownership transfer by now. So Mr. Wojcik was accurate in his questioning. I find it really interesting that Mr. Soave isn't pay taxes on this land if in fact he does own it. The County is way behind on recording deeds. My ex and I did quick claim deeds in 2002 and it still isn't recorded.



49chevy	Mar 14 2006, 04:05 PM Post #38
Answers questioned Posts: 1,270 Group: Members Member #306 Joined: February 15, 2006	professionalmom Mar 14 2006, 04:01 PM I also feel the need to mention that LPS demolished the Old Rosedale School using taxpayer dollars prior to its sale. This in effect was prepping the land for the "new owner". [Case in point.... the owners of the George Burns theater did not tear down the theater they sold the property as is.] How did they know that the knew owner wouldn't want a school there? hmmmmm. <_< Nice to know what the "stewards" are doing for the developers in this area. That is why I applaud Mr. Wojcik. Thank you for expecting the BOE to be accountable. WAY TO GO!! Seems the BOE does lots of favors.....



fyi	Mar 14 2006, 04:13 PM Post #39
Principal Posts: 2,738 Group: Members Member #206 Joined: December 9, 2005	professionalmom Mar 14 2006, 04:01 PM I also feel the need to mention that LPS demolished the Old Rosedale School using taxpayer dollars prior to its sale. This in effect was prepping the land for the "new owner". [Case in point.... the owners of the George Burns theater did not tear down the theater they sold the property as is.] How did they know that the knew owner wouldn't want a school there? hmmmmm. <_< Nice to know what the "stewards" are doing for the developers in this area. That is why I applaud Mr. Wojcik. Thank you for expecting the BOE to be accountable. WAY TO GO!! Free muffin anyone?



angrymom	Mar 14 2006, 04:25 PM Post #40
Principal Posts: 53 Group: Members Member #129 Joined: November 15, 2005	cmic Mar 13 2006, 09:58 PM Grant1 Mar 13 2006, 09:56 PM cmic Mar 13 2006, 09:53 PM I thought they were going to talk about new construction at Cooper as well. they did, they are, and there are asbestos abatement issues that they have to deal with now for that new construction. Besides burning every dollar there is in the budget and all funding sources, there are still environmental issues everywhere they turn that can run up additional astronomical costs. How are they going to keep our children safe? Did they talk about that at all? Got my 2 page letter in the mail about Cooper today. It is a bunch of bull! I taped it back together marked return to sender. I said I wouldn't send my dog to that unsafe place!



Rose	Mar 14 2006, 04:28 PM Post #41
Principal Posts: 759 Group: Members Member #171 Joined: November 30, 2005	angrymom Mar 14 2006, 04:25 PM cmic Mar 13 2006, 09:58 PM Grant1 Mar 13 2006, 09:56 PM cmic Mar 13 2006, 09:53 PM I thought they were going to talk about new construction at Cooper as well. they did, they are, and there are asbestos abatement issues that they have to deal with now for that new construction. Besides burning every dollar there is in the budget and all funding sources, there are still environmental issues everywhere they turn that can run up additional astronomical costs. How are they going to keep our children safe? Did they talk about that at all? Got my 2 page letter in the mail about Cooper today. It is a bunch of bull! I taped it back together marked return to sender. I said I wouldn't send my dog to that unsafe place! I am not in the Cooper area. Can you summarize what the letter said? I think it would be good for everyone to have this info....even if they are not in the Cooper area. This concerns many of us.



Iliveon-Levandownbytheriver	Mar 14 2006, 04:31 PM Post #42
Principal Posts: 900 Group: Members Member #193 Joined: December 6, 2005	Rosedale property? Where is that located exactly. Is that located on Ann Arbor Tr?



Rose	Mar 14 2006, 04:33 PM Post #43
Principal Posts: 759 Group: Members Member #171 Joined: November 30, 2005	Iliveon-Levandownbytheriver Mar 14 2006, 04:31 PM Rosedale property?� Where is that located exactly. Is it by St. Micheal's? In the Rosedale Gardens sub area?



professionalmom	Mar 14 2006, 04:39 PM Post #44
Principal Posts: 244 Group: Members Member #293 Joined: January 26, 2006	Old Rosedale school used to be on the corner of Orangelawn and Cranston. (S. of Plymouth E of Merriman)



Rose	Mar 14 2006, 04:39 PM Post #45
Principal Posts: 759 Group: Members Member #171 Joined: November 30, 2005	professionalmom Mar 14 2006, 04:39 PM Old Rosedale school used to be on the corner of Orangelawn and Cranston. (S. of Plymouth E of Merriman) Thanks!


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