Springdale School District accepts property sales bids

SPRINGDALE -- The School Board on Tuesday accepted bids for the sale of several properties.

The board voted 7-0 in support of the highest bids for five properties.

Kelly Hayes, assistant superintendent, said 22 bids were received for the properties overall.

The School Board determined the properties are surplus at a September work session and should be sold, according to administrators.

"The board's determination is not a reflection on the value of any tract, but is merely a recognition these properties are not needed by the district in its current long range plan," according to the documents.

A bid for $455,000 was accepted from Casey Kleinhenz of Leisure Homes for 13.42 acres on the corner of Dodd and Old Wire roads in Springdale, Hayes said.

The property was donated to the district, according to administrators, and had a minimum bid of $335,000.

A bid for $164,164 was accepted from Jennifer Burton of Living Savior Lutheran Church for .90 acres at 1600 Butterfield Coach Road in Springdale, Hayes said.

The district purchased the property for $20 in 1890, according to administrators. The minimum bid for the property was $115,000.

Ted Taylor, assistant pastor of Fishback Church, expressed concerns about the bid acceptance.

Taylor said an agreement for the sale of the property to the district dated July 28, 1890, notes its title is to revert back to the heirs of husband and wife Peter and Temperance X. Graham or husband and wife J.T. and M.G. Boyd if it's no longer used for school purposes.

Kendra Clay, general counsel for the district, said she's aware of the document and encouraged the bid acceptance to move forward.

Clay said the issue of selling the property will be brought back to the board in the event the original sales agreement proves problematic for closing on the property.

Some 1.02 acres on 5777 N. Old Wire Road in rural Washington County was the most sought after property, receiving 13 bids, according to Hayes.

Neal Pendergraft's bid for $106,000 was accepted for the property, which administrators said was purchased for $10 in 2017. The minimum bid was $55,000.

A bid for $325, 552 was also accepted from Travis Appel for 15 acres at the corner of Brush Creek and Downum roads in Elm Springs, Hayes said, which had a minimum bid of $295,000.

The former location of Washington Elementary School, consisting of 1.30 acres at 800 E. Emma Ave., had a minimum bid of $475,000, according to bid documents.

The board accepted a bid from Omar Kasim of Kasim Ventures, of $635,000 for the property, Hayes said.

The School District purchased the property for $3,000 in 1922, according to administrators.

Two donated properties consisting of 4.50 acres east, west and south of 1575 Bitter Lane and 6.68 acres at 1815 Bitter Lane in Springdale didn't receive any bids, Hayes said. The minimum bids were $280,000 and $150,000, respectively, according to bid documents.

District administrators have approached interested bidders for the unsold properties to see if they may be willing to purchase them for less than the originally recommended price, Hayes said. The district received feedback the properties may have been priced too high, he said.

The district will work to close on all approved property sales in the next 60 days, Hayes said.

In other news, Jared Cleveland, superintendent, announced Beth Carter will be moving from George Elementary School to be the assistant principal of Rollins Elementary School.

Justin Swope and Sonia Hernandez, the principal and assistant principal of Lee Elementary School, will be transitioning to George to serve in the same positions.

Lee Elementary School will be repurposed at the end of the school year to meet district administrative needs, Cleveland said.

Lee was built in 1951 and is the district's oldest and smallest school at 46,761 square feet, he said. The school is also landlocked, which prevents any further growth for the building, Cleveland said.