metro A vote for JULIE BEATY is a vote for our future T Dear Community Friends, I am passionate about the quality of education in West Bloomfield School District. Our children are the future of our country and exceptional education is the key to their success. Having been brought up in a home where education was a priority, I chose to continue this legacy by running for WB School Board. My main priorities are to provide students an excellent education, manage the budget, maintain an open dialogue with state legislators, and attract and retain first-rate educators and administrators. I recognize good schools are not only important to those who have school-aged children; but the reputation of our district is imperative to the value of our homes. I am dedicated to maintaining and improving the appeal of our community. We are proud to raise our children in West Bloomfield and look forward to future generations moving here. Eagle Appeal Fails; Sale Moves Forward Please join the following individuals in voting for me, Julie Beaty for West Bloomfield School Board Trustee! David Tisdale Jeff Cauley Nick Hersh Alan Gildenberg Kevin Goldman Aaron Fogarasi Avery Murav Randi Sakwa Bruce Tobin Raman Singh Matt Chase David Einstandig Jeff Sakwa Steve Kaplan Sidney Rubin Robert Kalman Mike Zubrzycki Sandy Colvin Sara Denawetz Ward Kelly Denawetz Heather Ladouceur Laurie Horvath Liz Isenberg Carl Rose Laura Mesner Tiffany Montgomery Sheryl Bienstock Jeff Barker Lisa Kaplan Ellen Simmons Stacy Brickman Kay Gorny Steven David Carrie Krauthamer Rebecca lngber Mellissa Stark Nancy Cooper Stephanie Niehof Rita Margherio Cindy Zate Jill Gurfinkel Pat Watson Kathy Sheiko Christy Forhan Barb Demarco Paul Tabor Jan Tabor Stuart Sakwa Michael Tobin Jay Colvin Barry Zate Liz Zubrzycki Carrie Krauthamer Frank Campanelli Christina Losey Brian Flaggs Julie Beaty: Committed, Independent & the Voice of Our Community Paid for by the Committee to Elect Julie Beaty 3325 Erie Dr. Orchard Lake, Mi 48324 AUTHENTIC CHINESE. UPTOWN SHANGRI-LA AUTHENTIC CHINESE CUISINE 6407 Orchard Lake Road (15 Mile & Orchard Lake) 248.626.8585 www.uptownshangrila.com 12 September 27 • 2012 1786290 Don Cohen Contributing Writer T he sale of the former Eagle Elementary School by the Farmington Public Schools (FPS) to the Islamic Cultural Association (ICA) moved forward Friday, Sept. 20, when the Michigan Court of Appeals reaffirmed a Circuit Court decision that the plaintiffs bringing the lawsuit did not have standing to do so. The ruling, if not appealed to the Michigan Supreme Court by Farmington Hills resident and real estate professional Melvin Sternfeld, will move the issue squarely into West Bloomfield Township. (Co-plaintiff Eugene Greenstein of Farmington Hills did not join the appeal.) An Aug. 13 joint meeting of the township's wetland and planning com- mission boards ran five hours as resi- dents and others had their say at the public hearing portion of the meeting. The wetlands board held an onsite visit to the property on Sept. 9, accompanied by about two dozen community mem- bers. The next consideration of the ICAs plans will be at a public hearing before the West Bloomfield Zoning Board of Appeals at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 2. According to the township's senior planner, Sara Roediger, the board inter- prets the zoning laws and decides on waiver requests in addition to hearing appeals. She says the township's attor- neys recommended having the Zoning Board of Appeals address issues raised at the August meeting — including the height of the minaret and dome atop the mosque portion of the building, the size of the setback from the street and the fencing separating the property from its neighbors — prior to the previ- ously scheduled joint meeting of the wetlands and zoning boards at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 23. The school district has claimed that it followed district policy and the law in its handling of the sale, while opponents contend that negotiating with the ICA while not advertising the property for sale and conduct- ing business as if the building was to be demolished were both illegal and improper. If there is no appeal of the Sept. 20 appeals court decision, the ICA will get the deed to the property and the FPS will collect the $1.1 million dollars they asked for the property. Currently, both the deed and dollars are being held in escrow. On another front, the sale could still be at issue if Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette agrees to con- vene a grand jury to investigate the sale as requested by the Thomas More Law Center of Ann Arbor. The center claims the school district did not fol- low state law and its own bylaws, and alleges corruption in the district and that the ICA is linked to terrorism. While some have raised concerns about the school district and the ICA, some residents and community groups have charged that animosity toward Muslims is at the core of the opposi- tion to the sale.