Man trying to purchase school sues Evergreen

4/8/2005

LYONS, Ohio - A Lyons resident who tried to purchase an elementary school building in this Fulton County community has filed court action to stop the Evergreen Local School District from selling or demolishing the structure.

Jack Avery, whose $5,000 purchase offer was rejected by the school board in February, contends in his complaint filed in Fulton County Common Pleas Court that school officials breached a contract they had with him for the purchase of the building.

A hearing on Mr. Avery's request for a preliminary injunction has been set for April 18 in the court.

Evergreen Superintendent Ken Jones said that the board did not approve or sign the purchase agreement. No decision on the fate of the building has been made by the board.

The Lyons school and an Evergreen school in Ai closed in December; students from those buildings moved into a new elementary school on the district's main campus near Metamora.

The Ai school has since been sold.