live stream w/ update: Willow Run, Ypsilanti school districts discussing consolidation at 'historic meeting'
UPDATE: At about 7:35 p.m., both boards passed a resolution to move forward with the potential consolidation. The resolution will place the merger proposal on an upcoming ballot. Willow Run trustees Brenda Meadows and Bobby Stevens were the only "no" votes.
The school boards of Willow Run and Ypsilanti are meeting tonight to discuss the possibility of combining school districts.
The effort really is a first for the state of Michigan in the era of Gov. Rick Snyder's emergency manager law.
Four state school districts already have been appointed emergency managers in the past six months to oversee their financial and academic success.
Administrators with Willow Run and Ypsilanti public schools said consolidation, creating one new district, could prevent these east-side Washtenaw County schools from having to give up their local control to one of Snyder's managers.
Both Willow Run and Ypsilanti have been on Michigan’s list of school districts operating with a deficit consistently since 2009. Willow Run currently is $1.7 million in the hole, while Ypsilanti has a total projected deficit of $9.4 million.
The video above is a live feed to the joint meeting taking place at the Civic Center in Ypsilanti Township, courtesy of the YTownCan blog. The meeting began at 7 p.m.
Staff reporter Danielle Arndt covers K-12 education for AnnArbor.com. Follow her on Twitter @DanielleArndt or email her at daniellearndt@annarbor.com.
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