ADAMS TWP — MHY Family Services is expected to appeal the Mars School Board’s decision to take 17 acres from the agency, according to Lisa Schiller, executive director.

The school board voted Tuesday to use eminent domain to take the MHY property that has the soccer fields on Three Degree Road across from the Mars Middle School.

The school board wanted to assure that the land would continue to be used for sports fields and had been negotiating with the home for some time.

“I’m shocked and beyond disappointed in their action,” Schiller said.

“I expect the (MHY) board will instruct me to proceed with the court involvement,” Schiller said.

She said the MHY board had been in good-faith discussions with Mars regarding the property, and were discussing a potential asking price for the acreage although it had not intended to sell it.

She said the $780,750 that MHY will be paid by the district for the land is low, but she did not have the price her board considered its worth.

“We have remained in faithful discussions with them and this is a major disappointment,” Schiller said.