WESTMINSTER : City Reconsiders Buying Old School
The City Council and school board are discussing future development of vacant school sites as well as school programs that are in danger of being cut.
The Westminster School District Board of Trustees a year ago declared 3.8 acres of a field at Willis Warner Middle School surplus and available for development. The City Council last year said it was not interested in buying the land, prompting the board to begin looking for potential developers.
At last week’s meeting, however, members of the council expressed interest in buying the land and making it into a park.
“It’s a different council now,” Councilwoman Charmayne S. Bohman said.
Bohman and Councilman Tony Lam defeated councilwomen Lynn Gillespie and Joy Neugebauer in last November’s election.
The school district has been considering developing housing for senior citizens on the surplus property.
“It puts us in an embarrassing situation,” said George Acton, director of purchasing and financial services for the school district. “Developers have sent us lengthy proposals. If the city had expressed interest before, we never would have gone outside for developers.”
Officials also discussed Midway City School, which will be closed in June.
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