Hinton school approves land purchase agreement

That decision means the district will pay $580,000 for the property, which includes 8 acres adjacent to the school building and 16 acres to the west.

Monday's unanimous approval comes after last Thursday's split 2-2 vote with board members Robert Held and Randy Riediger in favor of the agreement and Lynette Blanchard and Ed Vondrak against.

Board member Steve Eddy was absent from the special meeting.

After Monday's decision, Blanchard said she voted in favor of the land agreement to move forward, but she still has concerns about the $580,000 pricetag being too high and the 16 acres to the west not having "practical value as a large scale building site."

"We need to have a united front," Blanchard said. "I think it's important that the board stand united."

Prior to Monday's vote, Vondrak said his decision last week was based on three factors.

He thinks purchasing 24 acres is more land than the school needs, he wanted more time to consider the signed agreement as he was only told of it immediately prior to last week's board meeting and he wanted Eddy's vote on the matter.

"I figured a decision of this magnitude deserves all five board members," Vondrak said.

However, his no vote did not mean he doesn't support the district's attempt to pass a bond issue to build the new elementary during the Sept. 8 election, Vondrak said.

"I have made it known that no matter how the vote turned out, I will always support whatever happens," Vondrak said prior to Monday's decision. "I am 110 percent behind this bond issue. I would do nothing to jeopardize that."

Prior to the vote, Held, school board president, said he thought a no vote on the issue would send a negative message that the board is not unified and could affect the bond issue.

He also said in addition to purchasing the land the board's decision was "investing in public good will" by obtaining the property through negotiation without the use of eminent domain.

"If we are successful in passing this and achieving a negotiated settlement, we will avoid the very messy and painful experience of going through condemnation," Held said.

Monday's unanimous vote means the school board can move forward with constructing the pre-kindergarten through third grade elementary if the voters approve a $5.9 million bond next week.

"We're looking for a long-range plan here," Held said. "We want to have a vision that is going to set us up so that we can not only be successful now, but have the expectation for success for as long as Hinton school exists."