By Megan Alley
Sun staff
After a fiery debate about process, the Milford City Council gave the go-ahead to City Manager Tom Wright to research demolition costs associated with the Milford Main School, a move some council members thought should be handled in executive session.
“We have had discussions about the direction the council wants to take, but under the Ohio Revised Code, a discussion regarding the purchase of real estate is intended and supposed to be dealt with in executive session,” said Councilmember Geoff Pittman.
Two St. Andrew students are leading a coalition of community members, including Milford First United Methodist Church and St. Andrew’s Catholic Church, hoping to convince city council to acquire the property from the school board so that it can be turned into a public park. The Save Our Playground Milford campaign has already raised almost $5,000 to help offset the purchase cost.
“If the Milford City School Board can bundle the demolition of Milford Main School with the already planned demolition of Seipelt Elementary School and South Elementary School, then we may be able to save a significant amount of money,” said Bob Huxell from Save Our Playground Milford. “That plan would need to be put in place by July 31, otherwise it could be 4 or 5 years before another bundling opportunity comes along.”
“At this point in time, all the community is asking, all I am asking as a council member, is that Mr. Wright be allowed to go to the school board and ask what their demo estimates are,” said Mayor Laurie Howland. “We need a starting number. I’m not agreeing to buy it, but until we know what it will cost, we cannot move forward and he can’t move forward with his discussions with the two churches and the community.”
It has been more than two months since the Milford City Council rejected a zone change that would have paved the way for CMC Properties to develop a senior living community on the site of the Milford Main School.