Hunter
01/10/25
Hills Mayor Tim Kemp has shared his criticism of the Iowa City Community School District’s handling of the now-closed Hills Elementary in a recent community newsletter.
The Press-Citizen reports the mayor’s newsletter for January and February details a phone call he said he had with ICCSD superintendent Matt Degner in early December. He said Degner told him the building demolition would begin in mid-December, focusing on work on the interior of the building and requiring “a couple of months to complete the job.”
Kemp hinted at his use of profanity when the subject of buying the land from the District. Quoting Kemp, he writes, “I then asked where things stood as far as the City of Hills being able to purchase the land. Here is where that ‘F’ word comes in, and if you are reading this around small children, just think the word; don’t say it out loud,” Kemp said in the letter. “He (Degner) told me that they were thinking they may hold onto the land for the time being as Hills was growing as a community, and they may need to build a school down here in the future. In the words of AC/DC, I was thunderstruck!”
Kemp accused the District of contradictory actions, closing Hills Elementary while approving other district land purchases and their refusal of selling the land to the city. Kemps said, “Trust me, they have no intention of building a new school in Hills, and if they do, then it just shows you their lack of long-range planning.”
Superintendent Degner told the Press-Citizen that Kemp’s version of their December conversation is inaccurate but would not elaborate.
The demolition is expected to start Monday and is expected to take several weeks to complete.