MALVERN, Iowa (KMTV) — There's friction in Mills County over land the East Mills Community School District wants for a new bus barn and the property owner who wants to protect the family's farming legacy.
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The East Mills school board meeting Wednesday night drew a large crowd as the board passed a resolution to seek an appraisal of the land. The move also opens up the potential of using eminent domain to acquire five acres of the Jeff Zanders family farm for a new bus barn.
"We do not want to open that door to you guys. To never be able to get sleep at night knowing that when the school outgrows itself, which is already is, what are we going to wake up to tomorrow?" Dillon Zanders said.
Property owner Lorraine Zanders doesn't want to sell the land. Speaking off camera, she said she feels an obligation to her late husband, Jeff, and the family's farming legacy.
Her attorney, Margaret McCabe, addressed the board about previous negotiations.
"The school did approach Lorraine twice with an offer that was a lot lower than fair market value," McCabe said.
School Board President Mark Stearns explained this is partly why the board voted to reappraise the land.
"We hope we can actually come to an agreement. With luck, we hope this appraisal, a formal appraisal, so we both have a common reference number so we can negotiate off of, will help," Stearns said.
While this action sets into motion the possibility of acquiring land through eminent domain, Stearns emphasized the district hasn't reached that point yet.
"None of the board members take this lightly," Stearns said.
When asked about potentially using land on the north side of the campus instead, Stearns explained the limitations.
"Neither one (of the lots) are large enough for the bus barn itself and being frontage road right off the highway they are priced very high," he said.
Stearns noted specific requirements for space and terrain must be met, and proximity to the school is important due to wear and tear on buses and the additional need to store maintenance equipment.
The school plans to return to the Zanders family with a new offer based on the appraisal.
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