Eminent domain is the right of a government to take private property for public use by virtue of superior dominion of the sovereign power over all lands within its jurisdiction.
After 12 months on the Duluth School Board, I've observed things happening to other board members, including being entrapped into using eminent domain, one of the most despicable processes tolerated by our unique republic governed under democratic principles. Such entrapment has come by way of a cleverly devised and deceptive plan to reform the Duluth School District under the guise of providing "equity" to minority students by "improving" education with newer and fewer buildings.
I've found the general process by which the district's administration operates to get its way is by hoodwinking the School Board into thinking members are followers rather than leaders, and that they must rely on staff recommendations to make decisions. This is done by limiting the information and time needed by board members to evaluate information and to form their own opinions, by not allowing board members to attend agenda-setting meetings so they know of upcoming issues and have time to research, and by rushing to decisions before adequate time has been spent for questioning, analysis, discussion and evaluation.
In addition, resolutions for board decisions are made complicated by the administration and can contain provisions for future actions that would then be made without additional board oversight or knowledge. This is precisely what happened with the resolution authorizing the red plan, and it was about to happen with the resolution this month authorizing eminent domain.
The eminent domain resolution was rewritten between the time it was examined by the district's business committee and when it was to be approved. When the change was discovered, the resolution was modified and limited to 20 parcels recently recommended by Superintendent Keith Dixon. That was out of 57 parcels of the "approximately 564 homes" described as being required to meet site-size state guidelines.
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Authorizing eminent domain to take the private, long-held family homesteads of Robert Johnson and William and Charlotte Boyd for use as a parking lot when other, better choices were available was a despicable act. An estimated 13 other homes may be similarly affected. A "merry Christmas and bah humbug; we're taking your home for parking" was signed by School Board members Mary Cameron, Laura Condon, Tim Grover, Nancy Nilsen, Judy Seliga-Punyko, and Ann Wasson.
It did not seem to matter to these board members that the Boyds and Johnsons preserved and protected their land during the past five decades for the benefit of natural wildlife, including bald eagles that are nesting and raising two eaglets this year; that they paid taxes on more than five acres within the city limits; that they supported the city during good times and bad; or even that their children planned to live on the family homesteads with their own children to continue their families' tradition of land stewardship of property within the city's protected shoreland.
The School Board approved a plan without knowing its hidden, devilish details, causing a despicable process.
Crowding a high school of 1,650 students onto property that's too small would be a fundamental mistake. The Minnesota Department of Education calls for 51 to 56 acres. The Ordean site has 26 acres and Denfeld only 15. Forcing a high school onto the Ordean site could require taking 26 acres from the adjacent Northland Country Club.
A much better choice is available: continuing Duluth's three smaller high schools, completing deferred maintenance with necessary upgrades. This choice would save $100 million in building and transportation costs, all needed for maintaining teachers' salaries and student services. The money wouldn't be wasted on unneeded amenities and unnecessary building expansions.
Gary Glass is an at-large member of the Duluth School Board.
