School Board Won't Renew Park Lease

Posted by Publisher on
Fairhope, Alabama

FAIRHOPER'S COMMUNITY PARK

According to Mayor Kant, the Baldwin School Board is refusing to renew the city's now-expired lease for the land at the corner of Morphy and Church Streets.

Kant said School Superintendent Alan Lee claims one Board member has concerns about the safety of the playgrounds there. Efforts to contact Lee and the other School Board members went unanswered.

Volunteers built the playground in 1997 after the city leased the land from county (for 15 years)  with the stipulation the K-1 school across the street could still use the property as a playground for its students. The school closed in 2011.

Another source familiar with the situation says the School Board may seek to sell the property if the penny sales tax renewal referendum fails on Tuesday.

After receiving the results of a safety inspection last August, the city has been extensively upgrading the aging facility.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Those who fought for the K-1 Center predicted this exact situation. The school board is using this park as a tool to get their sales tax passed.

Locally controlled schools are the only way to stop the Baldwin County Board of Education from stomping all over Fairhope.

Sunday, November 04, 2012
Anonymous said…
This is so sad for Fairhope. I worry what Dr lee has planned for the park. On the otherhand that park is dangerous, and in need of repair. Whatever happend to those two women that stopped that group of moms???? Typical old fairhope with no children complain about change and do nothing
Sunday, November 04, 2012
Anonymous said…
I can tell you what is about to happen...Dr Lee will sell the property and someone will put condos or apartments on it. Last I heard, 2 women were going to take over improving the park. Nothing has happened. A nonprofit group tried to build a new park but got shot down by old timers. They just don't want new blood having anything to do with Fairhope and now look what has happened.....
Sunday, November 04, 2012
Anonymous said…
Folks. It's a lease. The city doesn't own it. The school board does. There was never any confusion about that matter. If the school board has concern about safety issues, it is their responsibility to ensure that liability for anything resulting from obvious negligence doesn't land in their lap. The park has been delightful for a decade. But it hasn't been maintained and updated properly. The use of wood was quaint, but it was a short-sighted decision, especially in our climate. Now, it needs to be replaced with something long-lasting and accessible to everyone. This is not a hand-wringing crisis. But, and this is the important part, the school board owns the land and can do with it whatever they so choose. That's called property rights.
Sunday, November 04, 2012
Anonymous said…
Yes, the school board does own the property. It's just funny this comes out as they are looking for votes on the extension of the "temporary" sales tax.

We all know they always intended for this tax to be a permanent.
Monday, November 05, 2012
Anonymous said…
Just sell it to the city & single tax, then my exuberant rent will be put to more use.
Tuesday, November 06, 2012
Anonymous said…
If the school board sells the property, I would bet there is a 70% chance that the city would buy it to keep it a park.

Market value for the parcel of that size is probably over a million dollars, which coincidentally, is about the same amount of money required to completely setup a city school system.

If the city had the balls to step up and take control of its own schools, this would not be a problem. The park would instantly belong to the city the second that the city council announced their intention to form a city school system like over half the school systems in the state.
Tuesday, November 06, 2012
Anonymous said…
No need to worry. they'll renew the lease when the sales tax passes.
Tuesday, November 06, 2012
Post a Comment