No bidders for Center School building

The proposed sale of Center School failed to receive any bids, school officials stated Monday.

That makes twice that the school district has requested bidders to buy the Center School and property. Both times no one offered bids.

Deadline for the current bidding cycle was Dec. 1, and school officials had stated that three parties had indicated interest in the property.

Former school superintendent Dennis Carlson was named to handle the sale of the property because current Superintendent Paul Turner told the school board that he had a possible conflict of interest because a relative of his was interested in bidding.

But Carlson stated Monday that the bid period had passed without any bids.

“I will meet with the board Dec. 19, to see what members want to do,” Carlson said.

The appraised price of the school and property is $195,000.

Turner was disappointed. He had indicated to the board that, if there was a sale, he would like to use some of the money to recondition some of the rooms at the former middle school to be able to lease them. “But the rooms need to be refitted for their use,” Turner stated.

Grand Coulee Dam School District Board Chair Joette Barry had stated, “We don’t have any money for that.”

Turner had stated that the district is operating on a tight budget because “we don’t know what the legislature is going to do on school funding yet.”

Turner said that there might be an opportunity to lease more than one room, “if they are refitted.”

The school board will have the option of negotiating a sale price lower than the appraisal if it decides that is needed to get a sale in the future.

“We will have to wait and see what the board wishes to do,” Carlson said.