Good. The residents AND taxpayers are asking Great Valley School District some tough questions. Great Valley, as we have previously reported, is trying to steal, yes steal, a couple's dream home and property via eminent domain. We hope these people fight, and fight hard because it sounds like the ONLY ones who want eminent domain is the Great Valley School District. This is how they use taxpayer monies????
Because this is a school it's right to use eminent domain? No, this is NOT public good, it's more like Great Valley Greed. This is not a library or anything useful, it's one more playing field and that is just stupid. There are plenty of schools, public and private, which make do with a heck of a lot less! What is frightening here is that they haven't said this is the only private parcel of land that they will ever seek. Great Valley School District is a victim of it's own poor planning and urban sprawl in Chester County....they should deal with that and leave the Cassidys alone!
Parents and residents clashed with officials of the Great Valley School District at last Monday's school board meeting over the district's efforts to acquire Patrick and Karen Cassidy's 1 1/2-acre home for use as a physical education field.
"I've been in this township for 50 years," said Winnie McLain. "You have over 90 acres. What can't you do in this 90 acres that you need 1 1/2 acres?"
More than 75 people crowded the district board room and many voiced opposition to the school district's ongoing legal proceedings to acquire the Cassidy property.
At one point, resident Chuck Clayman asked, "Is there anybody in the school district for this besides the board?"
No one said anything.
Then he asked for a showing of hands of those who were opposed to the eminent-domain proceeding. Most of the people in the audience raised their hands and there was a round of applause.
The meeting started out with an update by school board attorney Guy Donatelli on the court proceedings and negotiations.
The school district had acquired 4.3 acres of the Cassidys' 6-acre parcel located next to the Great Valley High School on Phoenixville Pike in 2002. The district allowed Eleanor Cassidy, who was 80 years old at the time, to stay in her home until her death in 2004. The district did not pursue trying to obtain the remaining 1.5 acres belonging to her son, Patrick Cassidy, and his wife until 2005.
The Cassidys did not wish to sell their home.
The school district started eminent-domain proceedings in February against the Cassidys. In the spring Patrick Cassidy fell and fractured two vertebrae in his spine and was bedridden for several months. Since he was unable to go to court, Donatelli said he made arrangements to take depositions in their home that would be given to the judge.
Last week, on the day that the depositions were to be taken, Karen Cassidy became ill and had to be hospitalized. At this point, Donatelli said the judge will not be available to hear the case until December, so he will not pursue the depositions.
The district made an offer on the property of $350,000, which was determined to be fair market value. The Cassidys' attorney counter-offered with a much larger figure.
Audrey Van Loan, a friend of the Cassidys, attended the board meeting and presented the district with a letter that said she was authorized to speak for the family. Van Loan said the family does not want to sell or leave their home, and that they made the large offer with the hope that the school district would give up.
"This hardworking couple wants to stay in their own home. No playing field is worth this sacrifice. Leave the Cassidys in peace," said Van Loan.
The school district maintains that they need the land to be used for physical education classes. The gym in the high school is close by.
They also want to cut down on busing children to playing fields off-site. The district currently buses 170 to 200 kids off-site. If the Cassidy parcel were acquired, the district could add two regulation playing fields, which would cut down on the busing, but not eliminate it, said Business Manager Chuck Linderman.
One parent, Lauren George, said she didn't understand the problem with busing. "Conestoga High School does it," she said. "They aren't taking the houses on either side of the school."
Frank Ortney said this was the first time busing was brought up as an issue....But, more importantly, said Ortney, "Is this a need or a want? I think it's more of a want. Do we really need to spend the money? Do we really need to spend the money on legal fees?'
One parent, Claudia Bradshaw, asked, "Will this 1* acres satisfy your needs? How many other properties that abut the school district do you want?"
Donatelli replied, "Currently, none."
...Mike Azzara, chief operations officer at the Tredyffrin/Easttown School District, said that as long as he has been the chief operations officer, the school district has never used eminent domain to acquire property.
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