Lakewood Informer

Resident generated news about Lakewood, Colorado

Lakewood Informer

Resident generated news about Lakewood, Colorado

Screenshot from the Denver Gazette article
Lakewood’s shady school deal gets even shadier | Jimmy Sengenberger

Sengenberger: Lakewood’s shady school deal gets even shadier

An article by Jimmy Sengenberger on Lakewood’s deal for Emory Elementary gets reinforced by residents on nextdoor.com

From Jimmy Sengenberger at the Denver Gazette:

“In Jefferson County, local democracy dies in darkness.

“That’s the inescapable conclusion from the shady business between Jefferson County Schools, Lakewood and a homeless-services nonprofit.

“This April, Lakewood authorized City Manager Kathy Hodgson to negotiate a $4 million below-market purchase of the shuttered 17-acre Emory Elementary. The plan? Flip 10 acres to the Jeffco Action Center for just $1 million — a sweetheart deal costing taxpayers $3 million.

“Here’s the scheme: In January 2024, Jeffco Schools quietly gave municipalities first dibs on closed schools through a new “Municipal Interest” process, dodging competitive bidding. A consultant told the board they could skip community feedback using this path.

“The Action Center can’t open this municipal backdoor itself, so Lakewood did it for them — avoiding market rates, scoring a bargain, flipping the property for a fraction of what the city will pay for it, and eluding private developers who might build housing or preserve open space.”

Read the full story at https://www.denvergazette.com/2025/09/26/lakewoods-shady-school-deal-gets-even-shadier-jimmy-sengenberger/

Discussion from nextdoor.com highlighting the million dollar loss the city and school system is taking

Sengenberger’s article generated further discussion on nextdoor.com that reinforces many of Sengenberger’s points. For example, user Ludmila K. shared slides for four community meetings held by the Jeffco schools. There are no slides like this for Emory. No such meeting was held. The community had no specific notice. There was no group discussion. There was no open market competition. 

Ludmila’s post also reinforces that taxpayers stand to lose $6-8 million, plus additional millions spent on building renovations that happened in recent years.

The few comments in support of the school purchase were not from the neighborhood that will be impacted.

I'm curious why Lakewood City government had to be involved in the 'deal' at all. Why couldn't Jeffco Schools have worked directly with Jeffco Action Center? Jeffco schools sells it at a loss to the city of Lakewood, affecting all Jeffco taxpayers. Then the city of Lakewood sells at a "discount" (aka loss) to Jeffco Action Center. Seems like part of the story is missing. Not that anyone wants another apartment complex built, that location might actually be better than many that have been or will be built. The fact that Lakewood City government is soooo developer friendly really does make this seem shady. Either way, the residents should have been informed, if not had a say, through every step of the process. Rebecca Rowe 2d · South Daniels Garden People in Lakewood have been fighting it, but our leaders push to get their way no matter what.
Nextdoor discussion continues by pointing out non-competitive, non-transparent process

Further discussion from Vicki asks the basic question of why Lakewood had to be involved at all? “Why couldn’t Jeffco Schools have worked directly with Jeffco Action Center?”

As another user sums it up, “People in Lakewood have been fighting it, but our leaders push to get their way no matter what.”

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