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Chair Jacobs said that he agrees with Commissioner Carey that this might be a <br />fruitful discussion later. The Board of County Commissioners is just approving the purchase <br />and not the plan. The staff can look at the site and the environmental concerns and maybe land <br />bank for another elementary school. He does not think that they are precluding anything <br />tonight. <br />Ken Redfoot said that the 67 acres has been fully surveyed and soil borings have <br />been done. This property is very well-suited for a school. <br />Commissioner Gordon said that the staff is recommending buying all of the land and <br />she asked why. Rod Visser said that time is of the essence because the options on the <br />properties expire March 15th. Realistically, there did not seem to be enough time to discuss it in <br />great depth. So the recommendation was that the County provides enough funds to purchase <br />the entire tract. <br />John Link said that you cannot buy just one of the parcels. The staff is <br />recommending that the Board pursue the entire amount at the price of $775,000 and to <br />authorize the school board to make the purchase because he would like for there to be the <br />initial message that the County and the school board will land bank the land, possibly for an <br />elementary school. If this option does not prove to be viable, then the County can purchase <br />back that amount of property for recreation or same other public purpose. He would like to work <br />together with the school board. <br />Commissioner Gordon said that in terms of approving the capital project ordinance <br />and proceeding with this site, she will vote for it. She has some reservations because she does <br />not think it is a good school site. She wants to respect the right of the school board to site the <br />school where they believe it is needed. She has problems with it because it is in the EDD and <br />the uses in the EDD had to be changed to allow the school. It will be close to commercial and <br />industrial development and there could be a conflict later on. She is also not happy that it will <br />be so close to the interstate. Also, it takes away economic development land. She will still vote <br />for this because she wants to support the school board. <br />Commissioner Carey said that he plans to support the Manager's recommendation <br />and he thinks the school board already has a proposed use for some of the remaining acreage <br />outside of the 41 acres, because they plan to make use of the pond as a laboratory and that is <br />not included in the 41 acres. <br />Chair Jacobs said that one thing that could be done is to adjust the buffers to the <br />boundaries that would not abut County properties. <br />A motion was made by Commissioner Carey, seconded by Commissioner Brawn to <br />approve the Manager's recommendation to: <br />1) receive the presentation on the proposed OCS middle school site from OCS <br />representatives and the architects; <br />2) approve the amount to be paid far the school site at $775,000; <br />3} adopt the accompanying OCS Middle School #3 capital project ordinance; and <br />4) direct staff to work with OCS to schedule discussions about the ultimate <br />disposition of the approximately 26 acres of the Allison and Daniel properties not needed for <br />middle school #3. <br />VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br />Rod Visser said that the Board of County Commissioners discussed at the retreat <br />the notion of examining the other parcel immediately to the east. This is also under option and <br />does expire on March 15th. The bottom line is that this property seems very well suited as a <br />recreation site. There is a second capital project ordinance in the packet that would appropriate <br />$508,500 in bonds approved in 2001 under the Soccer Superfund project for the purchase of <br />this property. <br />Chair Jacobs asked if it was feasible to consider moving the stadium next to the <br />pond. For example, if there was a soccer complex, it would easily bleed over to the west and <br />