Property deal involving Lakewood, Jeffco Schools moves forward after judge lifts injunction

A complicated real estate deal between Lakewood Jeffco Community Schools and The Action Center is back on track after a judge lifted a temporary injunction this week allowing the City Council to take a vote Jefferson County District Judge Meegan Miloud lifted the injunction on Monday after a court hearing That evening the Lakewood council met in a special meeting and passed three ordinances that paved the way for The Action Center to move out of its facility on West th Avenue to operate out of Emory Elementary School The ordinances call for Lakewood to buy the long-shuttered Emory from Jeffco Schools for million along with the West th Avenue property for the same amount The city would then turn around and sell part of the school property to The Action Center for million The Action Center would use its new campus to provide workforce training local district college classes senior programs and school and clothing supplies to families in need Former Lakewood Councilwoman Anita Springsteen had sued the city alleging it violated the state s open meetings law by not adequately giving notice of two executive sessions held in September regarding the transactions She also questioned whether the prices agreed upon in the proposed deal reflected fair sphere value Miloud on Monday ruled that Lakewood had erred in its meetings notification but detected that publicity around the situation since then had revealed which properties were in question Therefore the Court finds the actions of the City Council to be harmless error the judge wrote In a joint declaration issued Wednesday the Lakewood council s members commented its process over the land deal has been transparent and inclusive Lakewood held and energetically promoted at least five publicly noticed meetings on this proposal over the past year and The Action Center hosted and promoted at least two more the declaration read Related Articles Complex property deal involving Lakewood Jeffco Schools and a nonprofit group has landed in court Lakewood s controversial parkland measure grinds residential projects even small ones to a halt Jeffco Masses Schools will close schools in Denver s suburbs due to declining enrollment The deal is still contingent on the Jeffco Board of Mentoring approving the sale of Emory to Lakewood a vote that s expected to occur on Nov Springsteen a lawyer noted she might challenge the school district if it votes to sell claiming that the million price tag is well below arena value for the -acre property on South Teller Street They have no business giving away valuable property in a budget dilemma she noted Get more Colorado news by signing up for our daily Your Morning Dozen email newsletter