ESU 8 entertains discussion to purchase Clearwater school facility

Clearwater site Principal Mike Sanne told Summerland Board of Education members he met with Educational Service Unit 8 administrator, Corey Dahl, to discuss the service unit’s potential purchase of the Clearwater facility.

“We are negotiating a few things. There are concerns about a few things,” Sanne said.

ESU 8 would like to include a storage shed located behind the school.

“To prevent them from having to move the shed and running cement, hopefully we can negotiate a situation where they can have that building as part of the purchase,” Sanne said.

It would include 25 to 30 feet to the south, to allow equipment to maneuver on the property.

Sanne said the land will be surveyed.

Questions concerning kitchen equipment were also discussed.

Sanne has received official notice that a 1.7-acre federal grain storage property officially belongs to the district.

Sanne said the property will be surveyed with other school facilities.

He will be meeting with county officials to transfer the property.

Steven Thiele asked if ESU 8’s board of directors approved an offer up to $75,000.

“They authorized Corey to negotiate the purchase of the school facility. Their motion said up to $75,000,” Sanne said.

If the sale is finalized, three additional school parcels will be available, including the football practice field, shop and former federal grain bin site.

“Has there been interest in them?” Nate Schwager asked.

Sanne said he has fielded phone calls.

“We want to pursue this in a timely manner,” Sanne said, noting ESU 8 personnel may want to be in the building next summer if the project is approved.

“Depending on how the project is going, if we are not done completely, what do we do with our kids a month, two or three, whatever the case may be?” Sanne asked.

Thiele said he would like to see the school have first right of refusal on the property and the village, second right, if ESU 8 would decide to sell the property in the future.

“You’d still have to get fair market value or get it appraised,” Thiele said.

Superintendent Dale Martin agreed it’s a good option to have.