Jordan School District received legal opinions from two different attorneys that reaffirm its ability to make expenditures prior to the division of assets in the school district split.

Earlier this month, attorneys from the the seceding district's transition team sent a letter to the Jordan Board of Education insisting board members stop spending money on capital projects pending the division of property.

It irked a number of board members who called the letter inappropriate and said the transition team should stick to the job of dividing up the district and allow board members to do their jobs.

The letter also voiced concerns that the board was, with the knowledge of the impending district split, spending money at an "unprecedented rate" for projects on the district's west side.

Additionally, it stated that in the event of arbitration, the transition team for the new east-side district will seek "a substantial payment" to offset the money spent by the school district in the past several months.

Even so, the board gave the go ahead this month to a number of construction projects totalling more than $13 million.

And this week, in letters from school board attorneys as well as attorneys representing the transition team for the remaining school district, officials indicated the board was within its bounds.

Transition team attorneys stated that the money currently being spent is from a 2003 bond that was approved by voters and slated for many construction projects on the west side.

"Every voting precinct, including east-side precincts, approved the bond. The subsequent decision by the east side (residents) of the district to form their own school district" shouldn't affect how the bond money is spent, their letter stated.

Similarly, Jordan board attorneys stated "we see no legal impediment to the board's ability to continue to enter into planned contracts for west-side building projects, even if those contracts result in a reduction of the districts cash assets."

Last fall, east-side residents voted to split from the Jordan school district. Currently the two transition teams are in negotiations of how to adequately and fairly split the district's assets and liabilities.

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E-mail: terickson@desnews.com