Residents say records show Cherry Creek property talks began earlier than city announced

Jim Copeland, organizer of the Save Cherry Creek Coalition, told the Springville City Council that public timelines provided to the community do not match records the coalition obtained. He said internal communications between Springville and the Neville School District show the district initiated an appraisal of Cherry Creek Elementary in September 2025, completed an internal $10 million valuation in October, and that Springville declared the property surplus less than 24 hours after the council was told a preliminary closure study had started in March 2026.

Copeland said district and city documents identify meetings between district legal counsel, district operations staff, the city attorney and the museum director, and that the district had already run student redistribution scenarios before the public closure process was announced. "If the district had already obtained a $10 million appraisal in October 2025, why was the public still being told in March 2026 that this was only the beginning of a neutral study?" he asked, and requested that the council commit not to take irreversible action on the property until the public process is complete and timelines are explained.

Council members acknowledged the questions and suggested Copeland meet with city staff (John Penrod) for follow-up; one council member urged staff to review the records Copeland presented. The coalition pressed the council to ensure transparency in the surplus declaration, the March 13–17 sequence of events, and the statutory 90-day first-refusal notice triggered when the district declared property surplus.

What’s next: Copeland asked the council to provide clear answers and to withhold irreversible steps on the property until the public record and timeline are reconciled. Council staff indicated they would follow up with Copeland and the district to address the coalition’s records and questions.