SOUTH WAYNE - A resolution Monday, Oct. 22, passed 16-4 to allow the Black Hawk School District to sell its Gratiot building.
Seven months ago, the same resolution was defeated at an emotional meeting with almost fivefold the attendance.
What changed?
Chuck Herbst's opinion, for one. Elected to the school board as a write-in candidate in April, the Gratiot resident had been one of the more outspoken and passionate critics of the closure and sale of the district's middle school building.
"I didn't want the Gratiot school to close," Herbst said to the roughly 20 people present at the district's annual meeting Monday evening. "The thing is ... it's inevitable."
The Gratiot school closed at the end of last semester, a move intended to help shave more than $375,000 from the district budget. All students were moved this fall to the campus in South Wayne, with the understanding that if the move didn't work logistically, the district could again divide grade levels between both towns and return to Gratiot.
Having all students together learning and sharing a single gym in South Wayne took careful scheduling, but Herbst and others at the public meeting agreed it's working.
Now he's ready to start looking for a buyer for the property - a project that will take some negotiation since the land belongs to the Village of Gratiot while the building belongs to the district.
"I want to move on as a board member," he said. "I'm hoping that someone somehow can do something with that building." As it is, "it's costing us money."
Board members at Monday's meeting agreed that while the vote gives them full authorization to negotiate the sale of the building, they're still planning to seek public input.
"I don't think the board wants to do anything underhanded," Herbst said.
Superintendent Willy Chambers echoed that sentiment: "It would be my recommendation to have an open meeting."
Board president Kerry Holland said he isn't aware of any interested buyers. Now that the district has permission, the board will be looking to get a real estate agent and list the property for sale.
Gratiot and South Wayne had separate school districts until the mid-1960s, when they combined to form Black Hawk. In recent years, as enrollment declined and the tax base shrank, the district has struggled financially.
The board voted at last year's annual meeting to move all grade levels to South Wayne in what members described as a last-ditch effort to save a district that was already cut to the bone.
Decline in enrollment in the district continues.
"We lost 36 students this year," Chambers said.
He presented the 2012-2013 budget directly before Monday's annual meeting.
The budget, at $4.75 million, is $253,706 less than the 2011-12 budget and $663,145 less than the 2010-11 budget.
The district is forecasting the tax rate will increase from $8.54 to $9.62.
This means the owner of a $50,000 house would see an increase of $54 in taxes, from $427 to $481. For a $100,000 property, the tax increase would be $78, from $884 to $962.
Chambers blames the increase in the tax rate to an overall decrease in property values and a decrease in both categorical and general state aid.
He stressed that the budget is just that - a budget. "It may change."
Correction: The version of this story published in the Wednesday, Oct. 23 edition indicated the board voted on the resolution. In fact, the resolution went up for a public vote. The Times regrets the error.
Seven months ago, the same resolution was defeated at an emotional meeting with almost fivefold the attendance.
What changed?
Chuck Herbst's opinion, for one. Elected to the school board as a write-in candidate in April, the Gratiot resident had been one of the more outspoken and passionate critics of the closure and sale of the district's middle school building.
"I didn't want the Gratiot school to close," Herbst said to the roughly 20 people present at the district's annual meeting Monday evening. "The thing is ... it's inevitable."
The Gratiot school closed at the end of last semester, a move intended to help shave more than $375,000 from the district budget. All students were moved this fall to the campus in South Wayne, with the understanding that if the move didn't work logistically, the district could again divide grade levels between both towns and return to Gratiot.
Having all students together learning and sharing a single gym in South Wayne took careful scheduling, but Herbst and others at the public meeting agreed it's working.
Now he's ready to start looking for a buyer for the property - a project that will take some negotiation since the land belongs to the Village of Gratiot while the building belongs to the district.
"I want to move on as a board member," he said. "I'm hoping that someone somehow can do something with that building." As it is, "it's costing us money."
Board members at Monday's meeting agreed that while the vote gives them full authorization to negotiate the sale of the building, they're still planning to seek public input.
"I don't think the board wants to do anything underhanded," Herbst said.
Superintendent Willy Chambers echoed that sentiment: "It would be my recommendation to have an open meeting."
Board president Kerry Holland said he isn't aware of any interested buyers. Now that the district has permission, the board will be looking to get a real estate agent and list the property for sale.
Gratiot and South Wayne had separate school districts until the mid-1960s, when they combined to form Black Hawk. In recent years, as enrollment declined and the tax base shrank, the district has struggled financially.
The board voted at last year's annual meeting to move all grade levels to South Wayne in what members described as a last-ditch effort to save a district that was already cut to the bone.
Decline in enrollment in the district continues.
"We lost 36 students this year," Chambers said.
He presented the 2012-2013 budget directly before Monday's annual meeting.
The budget, at $4.75 million, is $253,706 less than the 2011-12 budget and $663,145 less than the 2010-11 budget.
The district is forecasting the tax rate will increase from $8.54 to $9.62.
This means the owner of a $50,000 house would see an increase of $54 in taxes, from $427 to $481. For a $100,000 property, the tax increase would be $78, from $884 to $962.
Chambers blames the increase in the tax rate to an overall decrease in property values and a decrease in both categorical and general state aid.
He stressed that the budget is just that - a budget. "It may change."
Correction: The version of this story published in the Wednesday, Oct. 23 edition indicated the board voted on the resolution. In fact, the resolution went up for a public vote. The Times regrets the error.