Tue, Oct 07 2008
|
|
Published September 14, 2007 06:25 pm - RIVERTON, Kan. — A plan by the Riverton School District to buy property for a possible future high school was sidelined Thursday night. Planned property purchase by Riverton schools derailed By Roger McKinney
rmckinney@joplinglobe.com RIVERTON, Kan. — A plan by the Riverton School District to buy property for a possible future high school was sidelined Thursday night. The Riverton Board of Education on Thursday was considering buying 50 acres of property about two miles north of the school campus at a cost of $3,000 an acre, or a total of $150,000. The name of the owner wasn’t mentioned during the discussion. Superintendent David Walters said Friday that he didn’t know the owner’s name, but he had been negotiating with a Joplin, Mo., real estate agent. “What do we need property for anyhow?” asked Riverton resident Jim Adams, a former school board member. “We’ve got declining enrollment, and we’ll continue to have declining enrollment.” He said he wanted to hear justification for the purchase, because residents were already paying high property taxes. “It’s not something we’re looking at doing tomorrow,” said board President Jack Garner, of a new high school. “It’s something down the road to look at. I personally think it’s a good investment.” He said finding property with enough area for a school building is not an easy task. Board member Connie Shaw said additional programs the school district has added over the years take up more space. “I just don’t believe it,” Adams said. Riverton resident Robert Myers asked board members about what other options the board had explored closer to the existing campus. Shaw said she was unaware of any other options that had been discussed, but she had an idea to build a new sports complex on the new property and to build the high school where the football field is now. She noted that would still require buying the property. “That sounds a lot more reasonable,” Myers said. J.W. Stephenson, manager of Cherokee County Rural Water District No. 2, said if the district were to build a school or a sports complex, the water district would not have the capability to provide water to it. “I didn’t come here to say don’t buy land,” Stephenson said. “My problem is I can’t provide water.” Shaw said Stephenson’s comments convinced her that buying property now was not the right decision. 
•
Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.
More from the Local News section
The Swing Vote: Economy looms over presidential race |
Print this story
E-mail this story
Post to del.icio.us
Discuss this story
A bellwether state w/ undecided voter interview video and audio
 |
 |
 |
||||||||
|
||||||||
 |
The Joplin Globe Publishing Company 117 East Fourth Street, Joplin, MO 64801 Using our site is your agreement to the terms and conditions. News: news@joplinglobe.com • (417)623-3480 Advertise with the Joplin Globe Copyright © 2006 The Joplin Globe, Joplin, MO All rights reserved. |
Popular Business directory links - Joplin Apartments | Joplin Attorneys | Joplin Auto Dealers | Joplin Auto Parts | Joplin Auto Repair | Joplin Beauty Salons | Joplin Car Rental | Joplin Dentists | Joplin Doctors | Joplin Flowers | Joplin Hotels | Joplin Insurance | Joplin Loans | Joplin Mortgages | Joplin Movers | Joplin Pizza | Joplin Realtors | Joplin Restaurants | Joplin Storage | Joplin Tax Preparation | Joplin Travel | Joplin Featured | More...
|
|
Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc. • CNHI Classified Advertising Network • CNHI News Service |