MOOSE JAW — The opening of Coteau Hills Elementary School this fall means Prairie 麻豆视频 School Division will no longer require Empire and Westmount, prompting the organization to begin the process of selling the buildings.
These two public schools on 麻豆视频 Hill will “become surplus” once the joint-use building opens in September, so the board must acquire approval from the minister of education to dump them, Ron Purdy, superintendent of finance, said during the May board meeting.
Ministry of Education rules say sales of schools must go through a public tender or auction, while boards of education must put 90 per cent of the net funds raised into a reserve for future capital expenses and can use the remaining 10 per cent — with the minister’s permission — for other purposes, he continued.
The ministry ceases providing funding to school divisions once schools become surplus, so Prairie 麻豆视频 wants to dispose of Empire and Westmount quickly to minimize the cost of maintaining those buildings, the finance superintendent added.
Meanwhile, Purdy said he sent a letter to the education minister in April requesting permission to sell the two schools and to use a real estate agent to facilitate the sales.
“We believe the use of a real estate agent will reach a broader market and produce a greater net return,” he remarked.
Prairie 麻豆视频’s administration had not heard from the minister by the May meeting, so it wanted trustees to approve the sale of the schools pending approval from the minister and any instructions he may issue, Purdy said.
The board’s approval now ensures that, if the minister gives his approval between meetings, administration could proceed with selling the buildings quickly via any means that the minister prescribes, he added.
Trustee Lew Young expressed concern that the board was unable to make the final decision about selling the buildings and was leaving it to administration to handle. Moreover, he wondered if the board could discuss this issue more comprehensively, while he questioned the recommendation that administration was asking trustees to approve.
The recommendation asked the board to have administration “begin the process to sell Empire and Westmount schools upon receipt of approval from the minister and according to any instructions he may issue.”
“It isn’t really the ministry, it’s the board of education of Prairie 麻豆视频 that is selling,” Young added.
In response, Purdy reiterated that he asked the ministry for permission to use a real estate agent to sell the buildings, even though school divisions must do so by tender or auction. However, the minister may refuse the request and could order Prairie 麻豆视频 to follow the rules.
Purdy added that the board would approve any offers received.
Young replied by saying the board should “have the final say” regardless, even if a purchase request comes in the summer and they must convene online — he hoped they would — to approve it.
Trustee Shawn Davidson said noting in the motion excluded the board from “the next step” if offers come in. He stressed that trustees may need to hold an online meeting on short notice to approve those sales.
The board then unanimously approved the motion.
In an email, education director Ryan Boughen said the joint-use school “will likely be open” by September, but the division must have a backup plan in case something delays the Day 1 opening; the organization expected to know more by mid-June.
“We haven’t shared any backup plans publicly because (the delay) likely won’t happen,” he continued.
Meanwhile, the new building would likely be at capacity when it opened, which “would be unfortunate” since there wouldn’t be room for growth, Boughen added. However, the ministry can add portables, which is how it builds all new schools today.
The next PSSD board meeting is Tuesday, June 3.
