Members of the Atlantic Community School District’s Board of Education meet in a brief session this (Monday) morning to vote on approving an offer to purchase the Cass, Incorporated building and to terminate a more than $51,000 lease for another, current property. The motion was approved by a vote of 4-to 1, with Board Member Dr. Keith Swanson voting against it. The purchase price is $925,000. The District expects an additional $400,000 is necessary to renovate the facility to make it ready for occupancy and programs. The 27,450-square foot Cass, Inc. building is assessed at a little more than $1-million.

Ric Hanson/photo

During discussion, Board Member Kristy Pellett said she had put together a list of pro’s and con’s for the purchase of the Cass, Inc. building. She said even with $400,000 in renovations, the building cost breaks down to 49-cents per square foot, which is considerably less than the $155 per square feet necessary to make additions to the District’s current buildings, which would include the addition of preschool classrooms at Washington Elementary and an addition to Schuler Elementary. It would also remove $4.5-million from the bond issue the District expects to put before the voters later this year.

Pellett said the building could: house the 6-thru 12 Behavioral Program; Alternative School; Central Office staff; provides space to move home school assistance to gain an additional preschool classroom at Lincoln, without displacing the Ann Wickman baby room. She said it would also allow for expanded art offerings at the Middle School by adding an Art room back to the lower level, and a larger improved space for the Level 3 program at AMS by using current central office space. Pellett said it would also reduce a potential bond referendum from a capacity of $23-million to $3.75 on the levy, and $15-to 17-million would reduce the levy rate to $2.50/$1,000 valuation.

In an e-mail to KJAN, The Car Guys owner Roger Poulson disputed the District’s assertion that not entering into another five-year lease with The Car Guys would save $51,253. Poulson said “That figure includes most all the utility bills generated by the property and the district pays no maintenance cost on the property. The District pays less than $35,000 for the lease, and the rest is to cover utilities.”

In other business, the Board approved the hiring of Cecily Knapp as a Special Education Teacher, the salary for whom is said to have been made possible in-part, by the savings in not having been incurred by extending a lease for the Car Guys property that is being used by the District.