But first they conferred with three Granite School Board members in a 90-minute work session, then heard impassioned comments from several residents during the public hearing portion of the council meeting.
"If all we do is create a miniature Granite School District, then we will have failed," South Salt Lake Councilman Bill Anderson said during the dialogue with school board members. "We need to have a fundamental change in the way we deliver education."
"That's naive," fired back Granite school board member Julene Jolley. "The way we change delivery is by providing in-service ideas to our teachers. Every penny that doesn't go to a child is shameful" - referring to the potential duplication of administrators and services if the district splits.
By joining with Holladay and the Millcreek area of Salt Lake County, South Salt Lake would become part of a new east-side district of about 16,000 students. Driving the issue east of the Jordan River is the desire for local control, saving neighborhood schools and bolstering the quality of education.
The remaining west side of Granite would have 54,000 students and would need to raise taxes to bond for new schools.
Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon conveyed the concerns of west-siders, which include equalizing the costs of new school construction, maintaining special education programs, the probable closure of Cottonwood High School and no say at the ballot box. Recently enacted state law does not require a district-wide vote when municipalities join together to break away and form a small district.
South Salt Lake's action Wednesday was the first of three votes that need to occur to get the initiative on November's ballot. Holladay's City Council vote is scheduled for Aug. 2, and the County Council could weigh in as early as Tuesday or as late as Aug. 23.
East Millcreek resident Anna Clare Shepherd spoke up at South Salt Lake's meeting, hoping to spur the County Council to take similar action. So far she's collected 825 signatures on a petition she plans to deliver to the county early next week, urging council members to allow a public vote on the issue.
"I would like to see seven school board members on each side of the Jordan River," Shepherd said. "It's something we need to move on as people are working to oppose it."
State Sen. Carlene Walker, a Republican from Cottonwood Heights, said she has been working with a task force on equalization legislation she hopes will be addressed - and passed - in a special session tentatively scheduled for Aug. 17.
"As I've spoken with west-side voters, the prime issue is equalization. The east side - it's grass-roots driven - wants self-determination," Walker said. "We're committed to make it work and make it fair."
Minus council members Casey Fitts and Mike Rutter who were out of town, the other five members of South Salt Lake's council approved allowing an up-or-down vote, and preferred it be done sooner rather than later.
"To defer and delay on an issue of this significance only makes sense if there has not been sufficient dialogue and discussion," said John Weaver, vice-chairman of South Salt Lake's council. "It's quite possible to defer and delay forever and let this issue drift, which I don't think is the answer."
If the vote occurs this November, and the measure passes, Walker said that two new school boards must be elected and a transition team selected to work out details for the new and remaining districts, which would become operable in mid-2009.
cmckitrick@sltrib.com
