KELSEYVILLE — The Kelseyville Unified School District (KUSD) Board of Trustees held a special meeting Thursday night to discuss the closure, sale or lease of the Gard Street school property.
The meeting was strictly for discussion only and no vote was taken. KUSD Superintendent Dave McQueen said the board voted to pursue the sale or lease of the facility in November 2010, ultimately voting to close the facility as part of the district”s Fiscal Recovery Plan in March.
McQueen said a committee, known as the 7-11 Committee, was formed in October to consider and prepare a recommendation to sell or lease the property for the board.
The Gard Street facility was originally valued at $900,000. McQueen said that was before reviewing provisions of the Naylor Act, which prohibits the district from selling the playground areas, playing fields and tennis courts at the facility because of their value to the community.
In addition to the Naylor Act provisions, the American Legion has a long-standing lease agreement to use the fields as does the Kelseyville Park Association. The revised value of the facility is $700,000.
McQueen said the bus barn is also located on the Gard Street property and is too costly to move or to replace so it will remain there.
He said the district”s declining enrollment is why this option is being looked at, but cautioned that if the property was sold and a new school site was needed it would cost the district upward of $13 million, far outweighing the sale of the facility.
Lake County Supervisor Rob Brown addressed the board. Brown and County Administrative Officer Kelly Cox had approached the board in April about possibly purchasing the facility to allow county offices to be established on the property.
Brown said that one member of the KUSD board and one county supervisor were opposed to the sale of the facility, a move he said was important to be unanimous on both sides.
Because of this opposition, Brown suggested the county could lease the Gard Street facility and allow a county department that needs to expand to relocate there. He said the school would reap the benefits of being the landlord.
KUSD board members were concerned about leasing the property and not being able to use it as a school facility again if the need were to arise.
A final proposal is expected to be delivered to the board within the next few months. The board will make a final decision whether to lease or sell the property then.
Kevin N. Hume can be reached at kevin.n.hume@gmail.com or call directly 263-5636 ext. 14.
