The hold up on the work of the school system’s redistricting committee is going to last a bit longer as school board members allow the work to continue to possibly bring about the sale of Rivers Elementary School.
At Monday night’s meeting, the Fayette County Board of Education opted to begin the due diligence work that could result in the sale of Rivers. No potential buyer’s name has been released, nor has a price for the property been named yet.
It took the board over an hour in executive session to hash out the details that led to the unanimous vote to move along with the process.
At the beginning of November, the board of education voted to table the redistricting for a few months as it waits to find out if ‘it’s going to be selling a piece of property’ that’s likely to throw a curve into the process.
According to school superintendent Dr. Jeff Bearden at that meeting, the school board had been approached about a potential property deal which might impact the redistricting committee’s work. The sale could have a significant impact on the county’s redistricting plan, since it is an integral part of it. Earlier in the year, Bearden had recommended closing Hood Avenue, Fayetteville Intermediate and Fayette Middle School, and the opening of Rivers Elementary to make a dent in the more than $15 million deficit in the upcoming school year budget. The committee is also looking at a second option, postured by school board members Dr. Bob Todd and Marion Key, to leave Rivers Elementary as is, consolidate Hood and FIS and close Brooks and Tyrone.
It was later revealed that Rivers was the property in question and the deal was a lease/purchase of the property.
“We haven’t decided to sell,” said board member Marion Key. “It’s going to depend on a lot of things, price being one of them. We’ve got to make sure the taxpayers get a good deal out of this.” |
