South Salt Lake tweaks ordinance on split of Granite

SOUTH SALT LAKE — South Salt Lake voters may still get the chance to vote on whether to split the Granite School District — but exactly what they would be voting on was changed slightly last week.

It's now up to the Salt Lake County Council to decide whether the vote will go forward in November.

The South Salt Lake City Council voted 7-0 Wednesday to amend an ordinance it had passed July 25 allowing voters to decide whether to split — along with Holladay and Millcreek Township — from Granite School district to form a new district.

Under the amended ordinance, the boundaries of the new district would not include a narrow piece of land including a portion of east Murray that is in Granite School District connecting the eastern part of Granite District to Taylorsville — an area that includes Cottonwood High, Twin Peaks Elementary and Woodstock Elementary.

The change came so that South Salt Lake's ordinance would mirror an ordinance passed Aug. 2 by Holladay. As part of an interlocal agreement, the ordinances of all the municipalities participating in the possible split must be identical.

The Salt Lake County Council has still not decided whether to allow voters to decide the issue. If the county does not pass an ordinance, the vote will not take place. The County Council has until early September to pass an ordinance, Carlson said.

Holladay's ordinance was established to appease those who have raised fears that Cottonwood High would be closed if the split were to take place, said South Salt Lake City Attorney Dave Carlson.

Cottonwood High is in Granite School District but falls within Murray city boundaries, and students from a small part of Murray are in Granite District.

Murray decided last month to take that area into Murray School District if the split occurs, which would result in Cottonwood High becoming property of Murray District, which doesn't need or want another high school.

Murray District would likely convert Cottonwood into a middle school if that were to happen, Carlson said. Leaving a narrow portion containing Cottonwood High would allow Granite District to retain control of the school.

"It seems like a pretty good compromise for those who are really for this district split and those who are really opposed to losing Cottonwood High," said Council Chairman Casey Fitts.

Councilmember John Weaver said people in South Salt Lake should be sensitive to those who don't want to lose Cottonwood because they went through a battle to keep their own local high school, Granite High, in 2005.

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