Secret Meetings Alleged as Swartz Creek Board Turns Down Megasite Deal

A proposal to sell Morrish Elementary for $40 million turned into a full-blown showdown this week, as the Swartz Creek school board voted down the deal and called for an investigation into what some are calling 'secret' talks behind closed doors.

The $40 Million Offer That Sparked Controversy

The offer came from the Flint & Genesee Economic Alliance, which wanted the land at Maple and Linden Roads folded into the massive 1,300-acre Mundy Township megasite, the same project that’s already pulled in more than $250 million in state funding. Developers say the school property would have helped complete the site’s footprint.

Residents Demand Answers on Secret Meetings

But things got heated fast. During a six-hour meeting packed with residents, parent Josh Davis produced a Freedom of Information Act request showing that several board members and administrators had met privately with developers months before the rest of the board or the public knew anything about it.

For 18 months, nobody knew what was going on.

That's what Trustee Ken Engle said during the tense session. Board President Carrie Germain admitted attending a meeting with the developers but said she did nothing wrong.

READ MORE: Michigan Lawmakers Investigate Mundy Township Megasite

Interim Superintendent Jim Kitchen agreed that while communication could’ve been better, the process wasn’t illegal.

Get our free mobile app

In the end, the board rejected the $40 million offer and voted to hire an outside firm to dig into the backroom dealings. Some board members said they’re still open to a counteroffer, while others refuse to sell without a solid company lined up for the megasite.

What’s Next for Morrish Elementary?

For now, Morrish Elementary stays put, still teaching more than 400 students as the debate over its future keeps the Swartz Creek community buzzing louder than a lunchtime cafeteria.