9/19/14 - A woman who has been a critic of the pending purchase of the vacant Lindbom School for conversion into a charter school academy was at the Brighton City Council meeting Thursday night to complain about traffic and other issues. Pending completion of due diligence and other legal requirements, the Brighton Board of Education has approved an offer by the American Classical Academies to buy the school and property for $1.45 million. The building would then be converted into a charter school to be called the Lindbom Classical Academy. Sue Ellen Ikens, who lives near the school, complained to council that the traffic would be horrendous if what she referred to as âhundredsâ of cars per day lined up near the school on 6th Street to pick up children. Ikens also said the street lacks curb and gutter or traffic signals, even stop signs, and is ill-equipped to handle the traffic that would accumulate on weekdays if the school were to open. City Manager Dana Foster says the city must stay neutral because it doesnât have any jurisdiction in the matter, since public schools are exempt from site plan requirements by the state. From a legal standpoint, charter schools are, in fact, public schools. However, Foster tells WHMI that the school district has, and will continue, to keep the city updated on the process that may lead to the charter schoolâs approval. There is a backup offer to the one by the charter school company, that by Granger Land Acquisition LLC, which proposes to convert the property into a senior assisted living development. That offer would be entertained by the school board if the one by American Classical Academies falls through. (TT)
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