Editorial: School Board seeks input on sale of its land for pot shop

The Van Buren Public Schools Board of Education held a very lively discussion at its regular meeting Monday, and it was held via Zoom.
At issue is the nine acres on Sumpter Road that houses a school district warehouse, along with the former classrooms for the career technical center.
The board voted to put the property on the market when it thought the warehouse was going to be moved next to the early childhood development center near the high school. When those plans changed, the board took the property off the market so the warehouse could stay there. It also bid out the demolishing of the tech center, which is due to begin shortly.
Meanwhile, voters in the city of Belleville approved an ordinance and change in city charter that welcomed the marijuana industry to town. The zoning overlay for the marijuana businesses are for properties south of the tracks and the school district’s property is right in the middle. Now, it’s worth a million dollars, at least.
The board has to decide whether to put the property back on the market and sell it to the marijuana industry – or not. Board members decided to give themselves another two weeks before deciding what to do and to seek out more information on the subject before then.
Tell your board members what you think. It’s your property.