School board rejects offers for Ewing property

Who will eventually purchase the former Ewing school property remains unknown as Summerland Board of Education members voted to reject all offers, "because of irregularities." The decision was announced following an executive session which lasted 73 minutes.

"Not one of the offers is the same to the others," Superintendent Kyle Finke said.

The board also directed Finke to take one of two courses of action.

“Supt. Finke may make a counter offer or set an auction date,” President Ed Nordby said.

During executive session, the board requested James Ramold, Ewing village board chairman, to join the session. He spent approximately three minutes in the session.

During the July 11th Ewing Village Board of Trustees meeting, school officials presented two counterproposals for consideration.

The first counter offer was a sale of the school buildings for $10,000, with the Summerland district retaining the football field and parking lot, located across the street, southeast of the Ewing site. Additionally, the village would be required to pay expenses - primarily utilities - on the facility through November.

A second counter offer saw an increase for all property, with a price tag of $20,000. The utility payment would also be part of that offer.

Ramold told village board members, if the 1% sales tax passes in November, taxes can’t be collected until April.

Dustin Jorgensen said, “If the tax doesn’t pass, we’re out that money.”

During the village meeting, trustees agreed to maintain the board’s original offer.

During Wednesday’s school board meeting, the board contacted legal representation, via telephone, at 9:04 p.m., according to board proceedings, which appear on Page 8 of this edition. The group exited executive session at 9:35 p.m.