Bid is $10,000

BROWNTON - The Glencoe-Silver Lake Board of Education must accept or reject a $10,000 offer for the former McLeod West School building and property in Brownton at its next meeting.

The City of Brownton made the lone offer for the former school building that could serve multiple purposes in the future.

Chris Sonju, GSL superintendent, said the purchase agreement closing and title transfer must occur within 30 days of board approval of the school purchase.

"Hopefully, we'll continue to move forward," Sonju said. "We're trying hard to address the needs of all parties involved."

Brownton City Councilor Chuck Warner said the council is interested in moving the city library, police department, latchkey site and possibly adding a charter school in the former school building.

"Our city library is very cramped for space now," Warner said.

"I think the former school would be a good home for the police department too," he added.

A nearby baseball park on school property would be used as a site along with the Glencoe ball park for the 2011 Class B and C Minnesota State Amateur Baseball Tournament.

Last spring, the McLeod West School held hits final high school graduation before the district dissolved due to a series of failed operating bond referendums needed to keep schools in Brownton and Stewart.

The district with a $3 million budget had a $2 million debt.

Since the district dissolved last spring, the debt will be picked up by property owners in the former school district via an automatic tax hike.

Warner said 89 former McLeod West students enrolled at GSL this fall.

Dozens of former students that attended Gibbon Fairfax Winthrop Schools last year will continue in that district.

Warner said most of the former McLeod West students that lived in the Stewart area are enrolled at Buffalo Lake-Hector Schools.

A group of Brownton residents tired to keep the Brownton school building open this fall by creating a charter school for about 100 students. The Minnesota Education Department rejected the application.

(Fritz Busch can be e-mailed at fbusch@nujournal.com).