By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
On Monday night, the Hays USD 489 school board approved the Lincoln Elementary School building sale to Turn-Key Property Solutions for $850,000.
After the school board meeting on Monday, Developer Michael Graham said he plans to renovate the school into about 26 to 28 one- and two-bedroom apartments. He said the apartments will be moderate-income housing. He also plans to build on the property surrounding the school.
Graham has also developed apartments at Seventh and Oak and his latest project is planned apartments at 10th and Walnut on former depot property in Hays.
The closure is part of a series of bond-funded projects, including renovations and the expansion of Roosevelt Elementary School and O'Loughlin Elementary School.
The Roosevelt addition will open in December. Work on O'Loughlin will begin in January, weather permitting.
Superintendent Ron Wilson said the money from the school sale would be deposited in the capital outlay fund. Wilson said the administration had been operating under the premise the funds from the sale of Lincoln and, eventually, Rockwell Administration Center would be used for further expenses associated with the bond projects.
However, it could go into paying back the bond. This decision will be up to the board.
Board member Allen Park said he thought the district should have advertised the building in more places and the property should be appraised.
Board member Ken Brooks said the appraisal had been discussed at an earlier board meeting. Appraisal for school buildings are inaccurate because they are public buildings and are not on the tax rolls.
Park said he thought the district should be selling the building for more.
Board member Ruth Ruder said she was pleased with the bid. She said the board members needed to consider the prices of the surrounding properties and the fact that the property is in a flood-prone area.
Other communities have had to abandon their schools or tear them down. Wichita recently turned one of its former schools into a homeless shelter, Ruder said.
Once the school is renovated, it should increase in value and go back on the tax rolls, which will benefit the city and school district in the form of additional property taxes, Ruder said.
The motion to move the sale forward was approved on a vote of 5-2, with Park and board member Derek Yarmer voting against it.
Kansas statute stipulates the state has the first right to purchase former school buildings. The state has to approve the sale before it can be finalized.
Once the contract is written, the Kansas Legislature has 45 days to consider action on the sale.
SEE RELATED STORY: Hays USD 489 school board votes to sell Lincoln school
The school board also
• Approved purchase of O'Loughlin Elementary School electronic access control locks for $53,789 from Nex-Tech.
• Approved purchase of Roosevelt Elementary School furniture for $169,411. The money will come from bond funds.
A motion to video record board work sessions failed.