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::: COMMUNITY NEWS Landowner says school donation is off; official says new school is now years away News brief published Monday, April 16, 2007 More than a year of planning for a new elementary school may have ended Monday when the owners of the school site withdrew their offer to donate the property and accused the school district of being unfair to them in negotiations for the property. The loss of the site means the process will have to start again, and overflow children will be sent to a school in the new Sunrise-Douglas development of Anatolia instead of attending overcrowded Cosumnes River Elementary School, according to a school official. "In the short term, that's what has to happen. We're not going to get a school built. We have to go back to Square One," said Brian Myers, the Elk Grove Unified School District board member who represents the community.
"I'm shocked and deeply hurt for the children in Rancho Murieta who now won't get a school for the foreseeable future," he said. "It's a total tragedy for everybody in Murieta. We're ready to move forward." Paul and Cindy Frank, Murietans who offered to donate 15 acres at Stonehouse and Jackson roads last year, withdrew their offer in a two-page letter to the district. The letter states "recent dealings and a lack of resolution" with the district prompted the action, which the letter says is permanent and not a negotiating ploy. See a copy of the letter here. Superintendent Steven Ladd said he was "very, very surprised and shocked" by the withdrawal of the offer. Ladd initiated public planning sessions last year that brought together staff and consultants to evaluate the Franks' proposal for the school site and fast-track the process. The next meeting was scheduled for May. The district's latest goal was to begin construction of the $33 million school this spring and open in 2008. The Franks made their offer 14 months ago, just as it seemed the district was about to begin eminent domain proceedings to take land for a school after failing to come to terms with the Franks on the location for the school and a price for the property. The Franks' donation included a plan to relocate a section of Stonehouse Road. When he made the donation offer, Frank stipulated that Myers not take part in the project since the two had sparred publicly in a war of words about the school site and the value of the property. On Monday, Paul Frank commented on his letter and the negotiations with the district. "I gave it the time and effort to try to work through it, and I thought that we had," he said. "In any other business dealings, I would never have given it the time and effort that I have, and we just can't do it any more. … They have not been fair with us. We're done." Frank said he was concerned that the issue of a $1.4 million road improvement charge hadn't been resolved, although the school district said last month that it has. "I asked that they put it in writing and they won't put it in writing," Frank said Monday. At a planning meeting in February, Frank called the charge "a deal-killer." It's a portion of the $4.7 million expense of relocating Stonehouse Road. Relocation would allow Murieta children to get to the school without crossing Stonehouse Road and possibly improve development prospects in the immediate area. The $1.4 million charge would have come due only when development occurred on the Franks' side of the improved road, according to the district. Now, Myers said, Frank has received verbal and written notice that he wouldn't have to pay the charge. "It's off the table," Myers said. Myers said Frank met with Ladd and consultant Constantine I. Baranoff, retired associate superintendent for facilities and planning, to put together a final package for the acquisition. It addresses what Frank wants, from earth tones for the school buildings' colors to the $1.4 million charge, Myers said, adding, "I'm at a loss as to what he thinks is a lack of resolution." Myers said the documents were given to Frank about three weeks ago. "I almost wonder if this is where they've been trying to get us the entire 14 months," said Frank of the district. He noted that statements questioning the value of his property "were clearly proven untrue," adding, "Then … out of the blue they're demanding a million-four …, telling us we can't access the land, and they want more land. …" In Myers' view, "The district doesn't bear any blame. The district has done all it can to resolve the issues, all the issues. … This is 100 percent Mr. Frank starting to back out. … Maybe Paul Frank and I shouldn't have gotten into a verbal war – I'll take responsibility for that. … "I think the community should demand from (Paul Frank) something more … than just ‘there's a lack of resolution and I want out.' … It's his idea. … To bring us all through this process over the length of almost a year and then to back out at the very end when it's time to sign on the dotted line, that's a miscarriage of justice to every child in Rancho Murieta …" When asked about the possibility of pursuing an eminent domain action to acquire the site, Myers said as a board member he "would argue strongly against it" because he doesn't want to fight for two or three years over the value of the property. "I don't want this to be a ploy to get a lot more money out of the district," he said, noting that the property has been involved in the Murieta West development plan since the donation offer was made. "(Frank) will be able to jack the value up," because of the possible development connection, Myers said. Frank was not available for a follow-up conversation after Myers' comments.
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