Land deal a done deal

NORWALK — What began as a signing day for the long-awaited land deal between the Huron County commission and the Norwalk Schools board became contentious when county commissioner Harry Brady read a statement following the vote, expressing his frustration with the board and superintendent Brad Cooley. The land deal is tied to a proposed Norwalk Schools project which involved the construction of an entirely new elementary/middle, or pre-K-8, school on Shady Lane Drive designed to have an "open campus" with Norwalk High School. Signing During Tuesday's meeting, commissioner Brad Mesenberg recused himself from the vote and both Brady and commissioner Tom Dunlap voted to sign the sale agreement. Mesenberg has refrained from discussing or voting on the issue following an opinion issued by Huron County Prosecutor James Sitterly. Sitterly's opinion appeared to be based on the assumption that because Mesenburg's family owns a trucking business, he may have a conflict of interest in the future if the company bids on the construction of the new project. Brady's statement Following the vote, Brady read a statement decrying what he describes as the "bullying, intimidation and lies" of the school board. Brady also accused the board of "deception" in their handling of the school levy passed last year. Brady contends that the levy conditions were not made clear to taxpayers. "If they (voters) understood that the levy would be about $189 per $100,000 in value, for 37 years, it may have been a different outcome, Brady said. Brady also found issue with the amount of the levy. "The levy was for $100 million but the price tag for the school is only about $73-76 million, the taxpayers I talked to didn't know that fact," Brady said. In a statement released later Tuesday, Norwalk Schools board president Alison Crawford said the $100 million figure Brady cited was incorrect. "The levy was not $100 million, it was $48 million," she said. "These figures are public records." Brady's statement continued, imploring voters to "set an example of the highest integrity for the staff and students to follow." Before wishing the board "the best in all their endeavors," Brady expressed forgiveness toward the board. "Because God has forgiven me of my sins and wrongdoings against Him and others, through the work of Jesus Christ, so must I forgive those who wronged me. I do so willingly," he said. After the meeting ended, Brady additionally claimed superintendent Brad Cooley and board president Alison Crawford have told community members "the reason Brady is voting no is because his son didn't get playing time on the high school football team." Brady contends this is false. "I have never asked for, nor would I have accepted any personal consideration or benefit to myself or any member of my family, in exchange for a vote to sell or not sell land to the Norwalk City School District," Brady said. When contacted later by the newspaper, both Cooley and Crawford denied making such assertions. Commissioners' statement Following the meeting, the newspaper was contacted by commissioner Tom Dunlap concerning Brady's statement. Dunlap condemned Brady's statement as "uncalled for and petty" and clarified that it was "not my statement or the commissioners' official statement, that statement is his and his alone, Harry Brady." Dunlap continued, lamenting Brady's decision to make the public, on-record, statement. "I think he dredged up old dirt that didn't need to be dredged up and I really wish he hadn't made that statement," Dunlap said. Board statement Crawford's statement expressed disagreement with Brady's accusation that the community was uneducated concerning the details of the levy. "The Levy Committee, led by retired superintendents Wayne Babcanec and Dennis Doughty, along with parent and coach Phil Oglesby, and the board of education prioritized open communication and community involvement throughout the campaign," Crawford said. "We hosted numerous public meetings at various locations and times to ensure that residents had ample access to accurate information and opportunities to provide input." Crawford expressed disappointment with Brady's statement and thankfulness that the agreement was signed. "The Board of Education remains deeply grateful for the successful land agreement that secures the necessary acreage to move forward with the construction of our new PreK–8 building," she said. "While we were disappointed — though not surprised — by Mr. Brady's remarks during today's commissioners meeting, we stand firmly behind the integrity and transparency of the process that brought us to this point." She continued: "We will continue to take the high road and stay focused on what truly matters — what is best for our community and our children. That has always been, and will continue to be, our sole motivation." The deal Commissioners and board members agreed to the following sales/swap terms: • The county will sell 13.00112 acres at $30,000 per acre. • The county will swap 10 acres of land on Shady Lane Drive for 6 acres on a parcel in the same area already owned by the school board and 4 acres within the parcel for the Main Street School building. The school board will be responsible for "abatement and demolition of the current building" and the city will receive a flat buildable lot. Norwalk Schools has secured a public bond that pays approximately $48 million for the construction, with the state funding the rest of the nearly $100 million project, which could be the largest single construction project in city history. The history Prior to November's election — which saw commissioners Skip Wilde and Terry Boose replaced by Tom Dunlap and Brad Mesenburg, respectively — opinion on the sale between the commissioners was at a stalemate: • Wilde abstained from voting due to owning property close to the property in question. • Boose at one point had expressed support for the sale. • The third commissioner, Harry Brady, opposed the sale. At a public meeting in February 2024, Brady read aloud a prepared statement offering a lengthy explanation of his opposition to granting the sale. Among his arguments was that the county land was better served for the county's purposes, and he pointed to a 2004 agreement where commissioners sold 20 acres of land to the school district. "Since the vote to sell the original 20 acres, the county has built their license/title bureau and is currently building a senior center. These projects are in addition to the sheriff's office/jail, Job and Family Services and EMA/mechanic building," Brady said in his statement last year. "The county has continued to build over the past 30 years while the school district has done nothing with (its) 20 acres in 20 years. "The county continues to demonstrate its use for county property," his statement continued. "Though the Norwalk Board of Education has shown passion for their cause, the county for decades has materialized its uses for its real property."