The city council apparently did not see the letter before Gray sent it. Many members were surprised by the wording.

Gray did not return numerous phone calls for comment. He has said there have never been "serious negotiations" with the district to buy the school.

Councilman Bill Anderson says Gray was following a formality, and the current situation is "much ado about nothing."

"We have no plans. We have no money. And it's unfortunate that it's now cast doubt on the city's interest to see Granite fulfill the mission that board members had previously outlined for the school," Anderson said.

The board received the August letter in a Tuesday public meeting, but did not discuss it. While district real estate negotiations can be private under Utah's open meetings laws, Ronnenkamp said this was not because the board had not voted to surplus the property. In other words, it wasn't for sale, so it wasn't up for negotiation or protected under the law, as he sees it.

But under the law, if the district does decide to sell the property, the city in which it's located gets first dibs on it, Ronnenkamp said.

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