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Savannah school board approves sale of West Park School for $775,000
Summary
The Savannah School District Board of Education voted unanimously Aug. 25 to sell West Park School to Magnolia Realty Holdings for $775,000. Earlier in the meeting a public speaker urged the district to convert West Park into an intergenerational child-care and learning center called Star Child Ravenna.
The Savannah School District Board of Education voted unanimously Aug. 25 to sell West Park School to Magnolia Realty Holdings for $775,000.
The board took the action after holding an executive session to consider the purchase or sale of property under Ohio law. In open session the board approved a resolution authorizing the sale; a roll-call vote showed all five members present voting yes.
The executive session was held under the authority of the Ohio Revised Code 121.22, which permits closed meetings for limited purposes including the consideration of property transactions. Earlier in the meeting, during the public comment period governed by board policy 169.1, Dr. Elizabeth Justice, executive director of Love Light Incorporated, urged the board to support a reuse of West Park as a community child-care and development center.
"We're proposing to create with your support Star Child Ravenna, a model intergenerational child care, child development and lifelong learning center for infants through age 15," Dr. Elizabeth Justice said during public comment. She also told the board Love Light Incorporated has served the community for nearly 30 years and said the organization "would be pleased to support the district financially, but what we have to offer is much more valuable than money." The suggestion was presented as part of a broader pitch outlining program benefits such as readiness for school, job training for parents, and local economic activity.
Board members did not link Dr. Justice's proposal to the sale during the public record. The formal approval on Aug. 25 authorized the district to execute the sale to Magnolia Realty Holdings for $775,000; the motion was adopted by roll call with the following votes recorded: Mrs. Calhoun — yes; Mrs. Dennison — yes; Ms. Dukes — yes; Mrs. Seaman — yes; Mr. Wisniewski — yes.
The board had announced before the executive session that it would reconvene afterward to consider tabling the item or taking formal action. The resolution authorizing the sale was adopted in open session and no further public details about post-sale plans were provided at the meeting.
