Claire Saks
11/18/2020
Dear Chairwoman Ben-Naim and Board Members,
Many community members have expressed their concerns about the North Mesa LAPS land MOA being signed. The School Board has responded to these comments by stating the MOA is non-binding and that they can back out at any time. However, the County Council plans to spend $475,000 once the MOA is signed to further assess, study, and plan the development. This amount of money is significant and suggests an implied commitment on the part of the School Board since the County is waiting for the MOA to be signed before they can begin. It is hard to imagine the County is spending nearly half a million dollars on this project and not already viewing this as a commitment by the School Board.
In addition, as a community member I am concerned that the money allocated for planning affordable housing would be used on LAPS land and then not be available for other viable parcels of land that the County already owns. There are substantial issues related to the development of this land that would prevent it from being feasible as it stands. Why sign the MOA, which would lead the County to invest considerable money on land they don’t own, when they have parcels they do own and can more easily be assessed? I realize that where the County chooses to spend money is not necessarily a School Board matter, but there is an implied commitment when the County will be spending such a large sum of money after the MOA is signed. Signing the MOA due to the simple fact that it contains non-binding language is neither a sufficient nor reassuring rationale.
Respectfully,
Claire Saks