Fair beware

Attorney George Ward has reached into his bag of legal maneuvers and thrown what might be a minor monkey wrench into a proposed land deal out at the State Fairgrounds. Ward represents a groups of concerned citizens who think that providing middlemen an $11 million windfall on property being sold by the state and purchased by the Detroit Public Schools is an insult to taxpayers. But when they went to court with their complaint, Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Susan Bieke Neilson ruled they had no legal standing to block the deal. That decision is being appealed. But the parties involved want the deal to proceed, and Neilson made a ruling two weeks ago that essentially cleared the road for that to happen. Ward responded by visiting the register of deeds and attaching an affidavit to the title declaring that legal proceedings are still under way that could affect the outcome, and that any sale could be “invalidated.” It doesn’t block the proposed sale in the way that an injunction would, but it does throw up a big yellow caution sign to anyone contemplating forking over hard cash for the property.

Will the state and school district pay heed, or will they forge ahead and hope the appellate court eventually comes down on their side? We’ll let you know what happens.