The Dickinson Public Schools Board Budget Committee is considering purchasing an additional 20-acre plot on top of the 30 acres the district is in the final stages of acquiring for a new middle school in northwest Dickinson.
North Dakota State University Research Extension Center recently asked the the board to consider purchasing the 20-acre stretch, which would extend the existing plot west.
The land was offered to the school at $45,000 an acre, for a total price of $900,000.
Assistant Superintendent Vince Reep said the piece of land could be used for access roads to the building or potential future district expansion.
If the district does not need the plot, he said: “We could use what we need and resell what we don’t.”
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The 20 acres in discussion wasn’t part of the initial purchase in part because it was understood that, if the school attained ownership, the land would have been deemed public property, which would make it difficult to resell. However, recent amendments to the contract could allow the school to sell the property without restrictions.
Committee Vice President Jason Hanson questioned if the district needed the additional plot.
“I don’t think the Public School Board should be land flippers,” Hanson said.
Committee President Leslie Ross said if the board were to consider the proposal, she would like to see a better deal.
“Land prices are starting to decline in the area,” she said.
Because of the recent drop in land prices, she suspects the district could attain the property at a lower price.
“I obviously want to make the most fiscally-responsible decision here,” she said.
A second potential land acquisition discussed at Wednesday’s meeting were two 12-acre sites, which are being sold by Meyer Real Estate Group.
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The first site, Pinecrest Commons, is located in northwest Dickinson, west of 30th Avenue along 21st Street West. Sundance Village is the second site in discussion, which is located on the northeast side of Dickinson. Both areas, if purchased, would be bought with intentions of future elementary school expansions.
The Dickinson Parks and Recreation Department has pledged $50,000 for the acquisition of the two plots, with intentions of future park and playground areas.
Board members agreed the location and price of the plot make the deal enticing.
“We aren’t getting it any cheaper,” Ross said.
The committee also discussed the possibility of purchasing a 1.9 acre site located near the district’s current bus barn on the 1000th block of West Broadway.
The land is currently owned by the city of Dickinson, which is looking to sell the property, appraised at $600,000.
A bus supervisor for the district notified the committee about the sale, asking to potentially acquire the land for transportation-related storage.
“I would like more research done on this property,” Ross said. “We should do a bit more homework to see how it could be beneficial for us.”
