The Neenah Joint School District Board of Education will consider the purchase of a new west side property and the sale of another.
The purchase would consist of approximately 225 acres on the south side of Winchester Road (County Trunk II) and east of Clayton Avenue. The District will consider purchasing 150 acres from one landowner and an adjacent 75 acres from another. The property is located in the Town of Neenah and the total purchase price will be approximately $3,375,000.
Additionally, the District will consider selling its 57-acre property in the Village of Fox Crossing at the intersection of West American Drive and Irish Road. It is expected this sale will exceed the purchase price of the Winchester Road property. The plan does not include action on three of the District’s current properties, which are located along Jacobson Road in Fox Crossing, near Keating Park in the Town of Neenah and along Pendleton Road in the Town of Neenah.
The plan will be voted upon by the Board of Education at its July 16 meeting. The Board has already discussed the plan during closed sessions as aligned with state statute.
"While this purchase is timely considering the ongoing evaluation of our facilities, it really is a plan that would have been pursued regardless of a potential referendum," said superintendent Dr. Mary Pfeiffer. "This was an opportunity we were approached about during the past year. The new property gives the District a significant amount of flexibility for additional building options in the future - whenever that may be.
"We believe the location of new site on Winchester Road will provide greater access for our population throughout our District," Pfeiffer added. "This reorganization could even result in a profit as we believe the Fox Crossing property will have considerable value on the open market."
Should the Board approve the plan, the timing also coincides with four upcoming community engagement sessions where the Board is seeking community feedback about the future of the District's grade configurations and facilities. The first session is set for July 15 at 6 p.m. at Spring Road Elementary.
"The Board believed it was important for community members to be aware of this opportunity as they consider potential options for the future of our District," Pfeiffer said. "Whether the plans include the use of this land is up for discussion, but we wanted the community to be able to have that conversation.” |