Meeting Notes for April 2, 2025

Herrick Park, Public Comment

Introduction

This is a late post, as a meeting has already occurred since the April 2nd meeting I am now covering. I wanted to cover this meeting specifically because it highlights the decision-making process our board goes through, and the tough decisions they’re up against.

Herrick Park / Patterson Offers

Members Absent: Jacob Martinez

Mr. Hilton opened with discussion of two offers presented for our two buildings:

1. School’s inc, from Los Angeles, informally offered $60k for both buildings

2. Temandia LLC (not sure of spelling), out of Adrian, offered $150k for Herrick park

3. Zeebee Investments (not sure of spelling), out of Adrian, offered $150k for Patterson.

Both buildings are understood to be sold “as is”, and all offers came in after the deadline, during spring break. Mr. Hilton reminded us once again that vacant buildings are a liability, and become more difficult to sell with each passing month. He also mentioned our declining population (locally, statewide, and nationally)

The following is the loosely transcribed conversation:

Simpson: Asked Mr. Hilton to expound a bit on the backstory of these buildings. Hilton explained that the board made a decision in January to put together a bid package (history of buildings), set a deadline of Feb 28th, and received no offers. The offer for sale went out state-wide.

Brooks: Suggested that even with sinking fund money, it’s still not enough to save these buildings, and that the public needs to understand that if we go past June we risk significant financial losses.

Hilton: Each building has capital needs of $1.5m in addition to capital needs on each other building that needs to be supported. State regulations mandate that if a building sits for more than a year, we have to bring it back to code. Reopening buildings brings additional annual costs such as administrative support, custodial, etc

McGee: Were capital needs for just roofs?

Hilton: HVAC, roofs, and others

Davis: Both buildings have asbestos. No need for buildings next school year.

Simpson: What if there were an influx of students?

Hilton: There are ways to manage growth. We have ways. We do have space at TPS. This building was designed for 1400ish children, currently houses 750 (THS). We have to be fiscally responsible regarding declining birth rates.

McGee: When did Patterson become for sale?

Hilton: We’ve been talking about it since the fall.

McGee: How did someone from out of state know we were selling the buildings?

Brooks: It’s been an ongoing discussion

Davis: There were meetings where it was appraised, maybe someone went through our minutes?

Simpson: Maybe they were looking for empty buildings, but it also might have been a scam, didn’t seem legitimate.

Simpson: We will remove historical plaques.

Brooks: And we will remove the letters.

Hilton: Historical society might want them

Davis: Timing is rather short, is there way with buyers to allow some sort of community celebration?

Hilton: We’ll have that celebration

Brooks: Maybe we can sell some of the bricks for fundraising / momento

McGee: Is there a waitlist for preschool?

Hilton: Not anymore

McGee: What’s our capacity?

Hilton: Doesn’t have that number, some families choose not to enroll, we’re not full yet, has to go through ISD.

Davis: How many classrooms do we have at Patterson? HP?

Hilton: Guesses 14, 12 (Hilton said don’t quote him on that)

Davis: Could we pay the operational cost of those buildings with classes we have?

Hilton: Preschool is cost-neutral because it’s held in an existing site

Davis: Capacity is determined by age?

Hilton: Yes

Brooks: Wouldn’t we have to upgrade it to be a preschool?

Hilton: Much work needs to be done, many adjustments (cited toilets, sinks, etc)

Miller: $1m to $1.5 to upgrade Patterson, Patterson is not the right choice. We have to educate the community.

McGee: Do we have further details on plans from the buyers?

Hilton: Don’t want to speak for them, but possibly renovating for apartment use, gyms for fitness facilities, hesitant because they (potential buyers) should speak to that.

McGee: Disappointed that they aren’t here to speak. What about former admin building?

Brooks: “It was sold to a company that does that kind of thing”

Hilton: With the prior sale, the group wasn’t local, metro Detroit maybe, not speculating on past sales, these two gentleman are here and have businesses and reputations here, so these are different circumstances.

Brooks: If it sits vacant under anyone’s books, it might as well not be ours.

Miller: Buyers already met with city, they have a plan.

Davis: Lots of money would need to be put up

Miller: Nice that they met with the city to discuss

Hilton: Good point, Trustee Miller, that they met with city before they offered to school.

Brooks: We haven’t been quiet about it, we spoke out about issues with buildings, so it’s no secret.

Public Comment

One member of the community, who happens to live next to one of the empty schools, spoke in favor of Trustee Mcgee’s point about having a plan, and criticized trustee Brooks for being dismissive. He also admonished the board for debating an issue he felt they were not experienced to discuss, and suggested that they work with the city.

Board Comment

McGee: Thanked public comment. Would like to see a formal plan in place to grow the district. Made comment toward other members concerning board member absenteeism, which drew further comments from longer-serving board members, for which Trustee Davis intervened with a point of order (below).

McGee: A few hundred thousand here or there isn’t going to save us, we need to focus on growth. We need to be the premier school in this district.

Hilton: We can have a conversation on that, would remind that the county is down on population, and that he’s done the research.

Simpson: We can’t force people to buy lots, just like you can’t force people to buy your house. We didn’t have space before, we have plenty of space now.

Brooks: This is a good deal for us, it’s not a lot of money but it helps. We calculated the cost of these buildings when we asked for the sinking fund.

Davis: Interviewed several districts when choosing where to move, chose Tecumseh. Doesn’t think we need to be “saved”, though there are always things we can do better. How much we can grow is constrained by larger issues. Hilton has done an excellent job. We are a strong district. Numbers don’t always show the whole story, mentions city.

Lewis: This community didn’t want giant fund, so we shrunk the ask. Can’t spend your way to prosperity, thanked Mr. Hilton, we’re decreasing our spending, we owe it to the people to spend money wisely. Community needs to understand we can only work with what they give us. We’re on a good track. Girl’s basketball won state championship, equations team won 1st 2nd and 3rd place for 11th time (went on to discuss Tecumseh’s accomplishments in many areas).

My Thoughts

I agree with Trustee Miller’s comment that the board needs to educate the community on our financial dealings, but good intentions are not getting it done. I am grateful to Kelli Glenn and Josh Mattison for taking the time to share info with me for these articles, but I should not have to be the middleman for this community. I should not have to FOIA request the same information that is projected on the screen in front of the public. Other districts, and our city council, publish information packets before their meeting. It’s time we started doing the same.

I appreciated Trustee Davis for her point of order. It was well-timed, and well-said. Just last week, Trustee Davis was left to defend her prior board president from derogatory comments from sitting board members. While it’s disappointing to see the contempt some members have shown towards each other and the community at times, it’s refreshing to see leadership that won’t stand for it. I have appreciated the spirited debates we’ve seen lately, and I think we can continue to have them without getting personal.

I appreciate Mr. Hilton for facing the reality of the situation concerning declining populations. Trustee McGee loves this district and she sees missed opportunities. I agree with her that there are still major gaps we can close as a district to stop student loss, but I feel we should do so while also being prudent financially. Financial prudence means projecting based on data we have today, while keeping a hopeful optimism for tomorrow.

Finally, and I’m echoing a litany of comments I’ve received since this meeting was published, the board should not be one voice. I agree with Lynn that the board is one “body” of elected leaders that work as one unit, but it can go too far. This “one voice” mentality was used during the election when we were told we had to vote for their entire “slate”. It was why the Tecumseh Herald was forced to retract a story about how “the board” endorsed Trustee Miller. To quote Trustee Simpson, “seven brains are better than one”, and I’ve appreciated the willingness to dissent from all members.

“If everyone’s thinking the same thing, someone isn’t thinking” - Gen. George S. Patton

Next Articles:

• April 14 Meeting Minutes

• Opinion: Social / Emotional Learning