Farmington School Officials Meet with Minglewood Residents

A handful of Minglewood residents who met Monday night with officials left with no quick solutions, but more information about traffic issues around in Farmington Hills. 

Officials acknowledged cars back up onto the street when students are picked up and dropped off. However, Assistant Supt. David Ruhland said, "Every single elementary school has that issue."

A K-4 building, Highmeadow is also the district's only school of choice. Bus transportation is not provided, so all of the school's 166 families travel there by car. Officials said in response to neighborhood concerns, a larger number of families are carpooling, which reduces congestion.

Since September, homeowners have complained about school traffic, following the approval of a project to repave Minglewood and other streets in the subdivision. Some wondered why the school district wouldn't pay for a portion of the project costs. 

Ruhland explained the district is very controlled when it comes to how money is spent. Also, he pointed out, officials are struggling just to afford repairs to schools.

"We can't spend the taxpayers' money paving roads," he said.

Complaints have been made about buses speeding on Minglewood, and Ruhland said GPS units on the buses recorded information that showed they were not speeding. He encouraged residents to call the district's transportation department, 248-489-3700, if they have any concern about the way a bus is being driven. 

One resident said officials could have moved Highmeadow students to the Eagle Elementary building at 14 Mile and Middlebelt, which was closed in spring of 2010 along with three other elementary schools. The building was subsequently , but the transaction remains in limbo because of a .

Ruhland said it would have cost the district "well over" $1 million to address all of the building issues that led of Eagle's closing. "It would be like moving out of a good home and into a dilapidated home," he said. 

Residents also suggested that officials select a central point for students to be picked up, such as . Ruhland said officials have looked at that option, but it poses some challenges, including the cost for additional buses and issues that could arise if parents were late in picking up their children. 

"I wouldn't say the door is slammed shut on it," he said. "We are trying to look at solutions." 

Zurvalec pointed out that the district has already taken measures to reduce traffic in the summer and early fall, by relocating some organized athletic programs that were using Highmeadow playing fields. 

Some parents are also choosing alternate routes because Minglewood resident , who has been particularly vocal on the traffic issue, has placed signs in his yard that contain foul language and negative comments about the school. Clearly dissatisfied, he said at the close of Monday's meeting that he will continue his campaign.