New Jordan School District's Transition Team Plans for Arbitration

None by Elizabeth Ziegler

(KCPW News) The new Jordan School District's transition team met last night with counsel in a closed session to talk about starting the arbitration process. Steve Newton, chairman of the transition team for the new district, or East Side, says the remaining school district's rejection last week of a plan to split the existing district's assets leaves them with no other option.

"We are beginning the process," Newton says. "We're meeting with our attorney. We're beginning to deal with an issue of how to appoint an arbitrator. So as far as we're concerned, they've rejected the deal. So if you reject the deal and you don't leave it open, then what other options are there."

The transition teams are charged with crafting a plan to divide the district in two by August 1. Last week, negotiations hit a wall when the remaining school district, also known as the West Side, rejected a compromise deal that would have reimbursed the East Side $112 million from a bond issued in 2003 and changed the allocation date for funds to be disbursed the new district. Newton says his team is disappointed and preparing for the worst.

"I think an arbitrator will cut the baby in half, and they won't deal with important issues like the allocation date, like shared services," Newton says.  "Those require cooperation of people who are trying to figure out a way to make this work for both districts."

While Newton's New Jordan School District transition team met last night, the Remaining West Side School District's team will meet Thursday. A link to both teams' agendas is available here.

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