Manara-CS090619
COUNCIL
from page 1
Our Savior Lutheran School, owner
of the property, previously occu-
pied the site as a school and church
and will still use the church build-
ing on Wednesdays and Sundays.
According to a spokesman for
the school, Manara Academy has
already filled its 326 openings, has
a waiting list, and has hired 97 per-
cent of its staff. The school will
serve kindergarten through fifth
. ~",-.
JUNE 19,2009
grade for the one-year requested
period. Manarahas been approved
by the Texas Education Agency and
will receive public funds.
Once the vote was taken and the
meeting adjourned, the decision
was greeted with high-fives and
hugs by staff and supporters of the
school.
"Obviously we are thrilled," said
Amaris Obregon, new principal of
the school. "We know they've
charged us with a big commitment
to the City."
Comments from lhe audience
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SERVING COPPELL, VAL
Manara Charter
School Receives
Unanimous Okay
By Jean Murph
Following hours of public
comment in a packed Council
chamber and Council delibera-
tion that extended past midnight,
the Coppell City Council unani-
mously approved the zoning
change request of ~anara
Academy Charter School for a
site at 140 S. Heartz Road to
open in August. The outcome
was unpredictable to the end,
with new Councilman Robert
Mahalik breaking a tense silence
to make the motion to approve
the request, seconded by Coun-
cilman Tim Brancheau. Only
Mayor Jayne Peters voiced op-
position to the request.
The decision took a Council
supermajority because the Plan-
ning & Zoning Commission's 3-
3 vote represented adenial of the
request. City staff recommended
approval of the request. Christ
see COUNCIL on page 15
during the public' hearing were
pretty evenly divided, in opposi-
tion and support of the request.
Most speakers based their opposi-
tion on traffic and safety concerns.
"It's not a debate about the
school, not discrimination, the is-
sue is location and safety," said one
resident.
A number of speakers pointed
on overhead maps to how Coppell
residential development has ex-
panded around the school site
since it was approved in 1988, say-
ing that the site was no longer ap-
propriate for a school.
In answer to that, train of
thoughl, a resident in support of
the school said, "The only thing.
that has stayed the same is the
church. .,
"[ remember when Simmon's
Street residents did not want
Westbury Manor," said Council-
man Marsha Tunnell, referring to
the two main groups in the audi-
ence opposing the request.
Mayor Peters said she could not
go with the engineering staff rec-
ommendation on the request be-
cause of possible staggered bus de-
liveries and pickups and stacking
distance,
But Tunnell countered, "[don't,
understand what is different for this
school than any other school in this
community." referring to traffic,
stacking, and noise at other
schools and a larger stacking area
at this site than at other Coppell
schools. "It's just the new reality."
Resident Bob Green told the
school to "find a facility in Irving
that best serves their needs there.".
The young sons of Coppell resi-
dent Mohamed Elmougy, past
president of the Coppell Chamber
of Commerce, sat through the en-
tire meeting with their eyes wide
open after midnight.
"I brought my family so they
can see how it works," said
. Elmougy, after a number of divisive
comments had been made. "This is
not what we aspired to be. That is
not Coppell. Show them how it
works. (This is) your staff. Trust
them that they have taken all pre-
cautions. ..
Mahalik said he was basing his
decision on staff recommendation.
"I have to decide to put my faith
in people I respect, the City staff,
and their guidance," said Mahalik.
The crowd was well-behaved
Tuesday under iight restrictions
from Mayor Peters, but she allowed
applause in opposition to the
school.
The Citizens' Advocate:
Your source for all your I
community and
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