Othello School District land purchase moves ahead
Cheryl Schweizer <Staff Writer> | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 8 years, 3 months AGO
Cheryl Schweizer/Columbia Basin Herald Othello assistant superintendent Gina Bullis details the next steps in a proposed land purchase at the Othello School Board meeting Monday.
OTHELLO — The Othello School Board is scheduled to review a draft purchase and sale agreement for 78 acres of property along Lee Road at its Oct. 10 meeting.
Assistant Superintendent Gina Bullis updated board members on the proposed purchase at the regular board meeting Monday. Bullis said district officials have received both the draft agreement and the appraisal on the land, which is located along Lee Road between Seventh and 14th streets.
Bullis said the draft is still being discussed between district officials and the district’s attorney. She anticipated the agreement would be ready for the board's review on Oct. 10. The purchase also includes a feasibility study, “to deal with soil conditions, zoning, all the different things that are protective for the district in moving forward.” The study must be completed within 90 days.
Bullis said the goal is to finish the transaction by Jan. 31.
Currently the land is owned by Terragold Farms. Bullis said there are no plans to build on the property now, but district officials plan to keep it as a site for any additional school construction. Currently the district has four elementary schools, McFarland Middle School, Othello High School and Desert Oasis High School, the district's alternative school.
Cheryl Schweizer can be reached via email at education@columbiabasinherald.com.
ARTICLES BY CHERYL SCHWEIZER <STAFF WRITER>
Othello School Board approves property purchase
OTHELLO — The Othello School Board has approved an agreement to purchase 81.14 acres of land along 14th Street and Lee Road. The district will pay $2.4 million to the current owner, Terra Gold Farms. The draft agreement was approved during the regular board meeting Monday. The land is located at Lee Road between Seventh and 14th streets. Assistant superintendent Gina Bullis said there are no plans to build on the property now, but district officials plan to keep it as a site for any additional schools. The sale should be completed by the end of January. In other business, a discussion of a site visit to Wahitis Elementary prompted questions about traffic on 14th Street. Construction closed part of 14th Street during the spring, summer and fall, including the stretch in front of Wahitis Elementary. Prior to construction the road had a four-way stop outside Scootney Springs Elementary, but the stop signs were removed during construction and haven’t been replaced. Board member Juan Garza said he had received inquiries about the stop signs, and whether they would be reinstalled. “It sounds to me like they (the stop sign removals) are permanent, right? It’s going to stay that way.” Bullis said she had received inquiries too, and had asked city officials about them, including a question at the Othello City Council meeting earlier Monday evening. City manager Wade Faris told her, Bullis said, the city wasn’t required to reinstall them. The original purpose was to eliminate some of the congestion on 14th, Cemetery and Ash streets when kids and parents were coming and going from Scootney Springs. City officials think the extra lanes will accommodate any congestion, she said. Board member Mike Garza said the stop signs were installed as the result of a traffic study conducted by the district at the city’s request. He asked if the city had done an additional traffic study prior to removal. Bullis said city officials didn’t give a reason for the change. Mike Garza also asked if city officials planned to paint crosswalks across 14th Street at Wahitis Elementary. “I noticed there are no crosswalk designations across 14th” at the school, he said. Bullis said she would ask city officials.
Othello School District land purchase moves ahead
OTHELLO — The Othello School Board is scheduled to review a draft purchase and sale agreement for 78 acres of property along Lee Road at its Oct. 10 meeting.
Othello School Board discusses 14th Street with city officials
OTHELLO — Traffic, traffic flow and pedestrian safety, especially for elementary students, were the subjects of a lengthy discussion at the Othello School Board meeting Monday.