One dollar each year for 25 years.  A one-time offer is being made by the USD 247 Board of Education to the City of McCune for use of the former McCune Elementary School building.  On Thursday August 14 the Board of Education unanimously approved a resolution proposing a negotiation with the City of McCune to work out the details.

“The city already has permission to use the building for their homecoming activities, their annual Fall Festival and, while the building is not FEMA approved, the city can open it as an unofficial storm shelter for those who feel safer there than at their home,” says USD 247 Public Information Officer Chris Wilson.  “Our Board Members want to expand on that.  They want to find a way to allow the community to use the facility for their needs while providing every student with the best education possible to prepare them for their future.”

There are concerns over whether or not the city would be able to lease the property and still get funding assistance to renovate the portions of the facility they would use.  Preliminary research by USD 247 Superintendent Dr. Glenn Fortmayer shows that at least some grants are possible as a lease holder.  He says if other grants require ownership, USD 247 would co-apply, with the city as the lead applicant and USD 247 as the property owner.  He says providing a long-term lease should ease concerns about letting the city renovate the building, then the district taking it back.

“An empty building doesn’t do any of us any good so our board members feel this is a win-win situation for all:  it allows USD 247 to keep its territory and it provides the McCune community an opportunity to find an innovative way to use property that would otherwise be vacant,” says Wilson.  “There has been interest by some McCune residents to use the campus as a single ‘municipal facility’ – city hall, municipal court, maintenance department and a recreational department.  I’ve even heard suggestions of using part of it as a business incubator.  This would give residents a location to try a startup businesses.  Who knows – somebody’s hobby could turn into a legitimate business and create new jobs – they just need the space to try it out.”

The resolution approved unanimously by the USD 247 Board of Education is below.

“Whereas the transfer of the McCune School property is not a viable option for USD 247, the USD 247 Board of Education hereby makes a resolution to present the City of McCune with a one-time offer valid through October 31, 2014 to negotiate a lease with a base offering of $1 per year for 25 years.  If this proposal is accepted committees from the City Council of McCune and the USD 247 Board of Education will be formed to negotiate details.  The actual formal lease will be signed at a future date upon approval by both governing bodies.”

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