Digging Deeper Into Controversial Land Swap Deal
Oskaloosa School Superintendent Mike Fisher.
Oskaloosa News reached out to Oskaloosa Schools Superintendent Mike Fisher for clarification on some questions we had regarding the deal, and the role that the school system has played in the process.
Oskaloosa News asked Fisher, “How did the initial conversations with Kading about a potential land sale or development begin, and what was the school district’s reaction at that time?”
In January of 2024, we received a letter from a housing developer making an offer to engage in a land transaction near our high school for multi-family housing. We took this to our school board facilities committee who declined to proceed with this as they didn’t feel it was in the best interest of the schools.
“Since Oskaloosa Schools is a large landowner in the community, we consistently receive unsolicited offers to purchase ground from many entities including developers. We always give them some level of consideration as is our responsibility as a steward of taxpayer resources. However, most never make it beyond the committee or leadership level usually because the offer is not credible or doesn’t meet the needs of the schools,” explained Fisher.
“Could you walk us through the presentation you gave to Kading during their visit? What message did you hope to convey about Oskaloosa Schools,” we asked.
“We have shown over a dozen different entities property over the past two years. This has included developers, neighboring land owners, local business people, and nonprofits. Being a steward of taxpayer resources, we have an obligation to listen to proposals that are given to us in the event there is a benefit to the schools and the taxpayer. With the Thriving Communities Grant we received as a city, we have seen an increase in these types of interest. All of the proposals we have received have never made beyond the discussion phase. There is a substantial vetting process we go through on each unsolicited offer before it even makes it to possible board action.”
Fisher went on to say, “With each developer, when contacted, we give all the same treatment. We provide information that is public record, and offer tours of our facilities. We do this for all of our customers as it is our vision culture to be invitational.”
“Why did the school initially decline Kading’s request to buy land north of the high school,” we asked Fisher.
Fisher explained, “The school initially declined any multifamily housing due to concerns about not knowing the type of housing, impact on neighbors, and the financial offer being too low for serious consideration.”
City Land Swap Proposal
“Could you clarify how the proposed land swap would specifically meet the housing needs outlined in the city’s 2023 Plan Osky Comprehensive Housing Analysis,” Oskaloosa News asked of Fisher.
“As a school leader, I strongly agree we have a housing shortage in our community. This has led to us not being able to hire positions. Recently, I had a position we were filling with a very high-quality local candidate with a family that was unable to locate here due to a lack of housing. In addition, our high school building trades program that builds a house each year is a contributor to helping with this problem. We are running out of lots for our building trades program so this has been a priority to find new ground to continue building houses. The ground the city was proposing to swap was desirable to the schools as it would be build-ready for future high school home construction.”
We went on to ask, “How did the school board evaluate the mutual benefits highlighted by the City, such as increased tax base, community growth, and expanded wastewater capabilities, when considering the land swap?”
“These were all considerations. With the amount of ground we own as a school, we realize it is not generating tax revenue for our community. We also know the wastewater plant will need additional ground for expansion in the future as well. With our vision culture, we want to ensure we do the most good for the most people,” explained Fisher.
We asked Fisher if he could elaborate on the board’s terms and conditions set for negotiations with the City.
Fisher said, “When I was directed by the board to negotiate at our public board meeting and work sessions, I was asked to make sure any swap makes sense with the value of the ground, there was benefit for our building trades program, and to get feedback on how this would impact our community overall, including our neighbors.
We then asked if the City’s “Thriving Community” designation and access to state tax credits, were any specific incentives offered to the school district to support this collaboration.
“Not that I was aware of,” Fisher said.
Legal and Procedural Considerations
Oskaloosa News asked what legal concerns prevented the school board from holding a closed joint session with the City Council.
“Since this was not a land transaction that would cause money to change hands, just a swap, it did not meet the legal threshold of a closed session,” Fisher Explained. “In addition, in consultation with our board leadership, we wanted this entire process to be as transparent as possible. Therefore on September 10th, we had an open work session that was public. We also made a point to have it on the night of our normal board meeting. The work session occurred immediately after the regular session to make it easier for schedules for people wanting to attend.”
“How did consultations with the district’s legal team shape the approach to this land swap proposal,” we asked Fisher.
“We used our property lawyer with Ahlers and Cooney to provide counsel on every step of the process,” Fisher shared.
“How has the school board ensured transparency throughout these discussions,” we asked of Fisher, knowing members of the public felt process hadn’t been transparent.
“We had the public work session during our normal board meeting on September 10th with the joint session with the city to hear their initial proposal,” Fisher explained. “We then had an additional public work session on September 24th which is our normally scheduled 4th Tuesday board meeting date. During this date, the board discussed their questions and concerns about the land swap proposal and what they felt they wanted to do next. They did not agree with the city’s initial proposal, but felt it was worth continuing the conversation as we want to be good community partners. On our normal October 8th regular meeting, the school board then passed action to direct me to continue negotiations on a land swap with the city. We did this intentionally so the community knew the meetings I was having with the city were under board supervision and direction. In addition, I was working to have as many meetings with local neighboring land owners as possible. Looking back, I wasn’t quick enough to get to some of the neighbors as I would have liked. However, in the short time from October 8th to today, I was doing my best to get in touch with people.”
Community and Stakeholder Engagement
“What kind of feedback have you received from adjacent landowners like David and Barb Dickinson regarding the potential sale or development of the land, we asked of Fisher.
“The neighboring landowners have been great in sharing their questions and feedback. Most questions and feedback have centered around congestion, safety, and ensuring any future development is best for the school and community,” said Fisher.
We then asked how community members expressed concerns over the proposed development, and what are their primary objections?
Fisher stated, “Through one-on-one conversations community members acknowledge we have a need for additional high quality housing in Oskaloosa. They recognize that expanding the availability of quality homes is essential to meet the needs of our teachers, law enforcement, and young professionals in Oskaloosa. However, it’s important to note that most landowners in the vicinity are not necessarily in favor of developing this specific school property for housing. The most productive and meaningful discussions we’ve had have been directly with homeowners in the area, and we continue to value those face-to-face interactions as an important part of our engagement with the community.”
“What steps has the board taken to address misinformation or misunderstandings within the community about this project,” we asked of Fisher of the controversy.
Fisher stated, “We value transparency and open dialogue with our community, and our meetings and workshops have always been open to the community to participate in. We encourage community members to attend our public board meetings, where updates are regularly shared, and to review communications from the district for accurate information and when there are questions or concerns to reach out to us directly for clarification. Through this the board and leadership have shown we listen to our community.”
Decision to Decline Land Swap Proposal
“What were the main reasons behind the board’s decision to discontinue the land swap discussions with the City,” we asked of Fisher.
Fisher responded, “We did not believe it met the school’s vision culture.”
We went on to ask, “how does the revised annexation application, focused only on certain athletic fields, address practical concerns like emergency jurisdiction?”
“Currently, our softball and baseball fields, as well as one of our tennis courts and a practice field, are located in different jurisdictions,” Fisher explained. “The softball diamond falls within the city limits, meaning the Oskaloosa Police Department has jurisdiction there, while the baseball field, which is just a few feet away, is in the county and under the jurisdiction of the Mahaska County Sheriff’s Department. This division can create confusion or delays when law enforcement is needed. The revised annexation application will bring these areas into the city limits, streamlining jurisdiction and ensuring a more efficient response to any issues that may arise.”
Future of the Land in Question
“With the land swap proposal declined, what are the board’s current plans for the land north of the high school,” we asked of Fisher.
“We currently have no plans,” Fisher said.
“How does the school board plan to handle unsolicited land offers, and what recent proposals have been received,” we asked.
“Oskaloosa Schools will be reviewing our board policies regarding the sale of land to ensure fairness and equity for all parties moving forward. Recently we have received unsolicited offers for the ground from neighboring landowners. We have answered questions about appraised and assessed value. The board will review these offers as we always have done to see if they best meet the needs of the school and community,” Fisher said.
Accountability and Transparency
We wanted to know how taxpayers and community members stay informed and involved as this process continues?
Fisher stated, “Oskaloosa Schools is committed to transparency in all of our public meetings, including board meetings and work sessions. In accordance with state law and our commitment to good governance, we publish the agendas for these events on our website and notify local media. We encourage community members to attend and actively participate in these meetings, as we believe open dialogue is essential for fostering a well-informed and engaged public.”
“What is your message to community members who feel that their concerns were not fully addressed or heard during the public sessions,” we asked Fisher.
“We are always open to sitting down and having constructive conversations with our constituents. We feel dialog like this happens best face-to-face,” Said Fisher. “After hearing feedback from the community, we’re happy to meet with anyone whose concerns may not be fully addressed by the actions the Board of Education [took] on Tuesday. So far, no one has expressed support for the property being developed by anyone other than the school district, and we believe the action will address the concerns raised by those who spoke. Anyone who would like to discuss these matters further, with our leadership, is encouraged to reach out to us and we would all be happy to sit down and have a personal meeting or conversation.”
