Norwalk board and residents urge Huron County to approve Shady Lane land sale as state funding awaits

The Norwalk City School District board and local residents pressed Huron County Commissioners to approve the sale of a parcel on Shady Lane Drive so the district can build a preK–8 school, saying state funding from the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission will pay a substantial share of construction costs.

The board released a statement saying the countyowned parcel is needed to build the school in a configuration that provides appropriate traffic flow, outdoor play space and campus efficiencies. The board said an inability to obtain that land could force a multilevel school or a site outside Norwalk City limits.

Resident Lucy Oaks told the board she had volunteered in the levy campaign and urged the commissioners to accept the district—s written offer of $11,000 per acre and to stop delaying the sale. "Huron County Commissioners, it is time that you listen to your constituents, approve the sale of the land to the school board at a fair market value," Oaks said. She blamed the commissioners— process and meeting schedule for limiting public input.

The board said two recently elected Huron County Commissioners, Brad Messenberg and Tom Dunlap, had previously appeared to support the project but have since declined to meet or otherwise moved the matter off meeting agendas. The board said the commissioners rejected an $11,000-per-acre offer based on an outside appraisal and have not presented a written counteroffer.

In its statement the board also cited an opinion from Huron County prosecutor Jim Sitterly that has led at least one commissioner, identified in the transcript as Commissioner Westerberg, to abstain from discussions related to the sale because of a possible conflict of interest. The board requested the county release the prosecutor—s opinion so the district can work around any declared conflicts.

Board members and speakers framed the dispute as time-sensitive: the district secured OFCC assistance for the project and said OFCC would pay a major share of the cost (described in board remarks as 52% of the project). The board said it must finalize site plans to proceed to design and to select a construction manager at risk; architects and procurement steps were described as the next items on the schedule.

The district also noted it had attempted multiple times to meet with the commissioners and that two public meetings arranged with county commissioners were scheduled and then canceled. The board read its statement at the school board meeting and said it would share the statement with local media.

The board moved into executive session during the meeting to consider the purchase and sale of property and to develop next-step strategy, citing the statutory authority invoked on the agenda.

Next steps described at the meeting: the district plans to finalize its architect solicitation language, meet with architects and move toward selecting a construction manager at risk once site control is resolved.