The former Rock Springs Elementary School officially has been
listed for sale, one year after 115 Reedsburg School District
voters gave the board permission to sell it at the district’s 2010
annual meeting.

At the district’s 2011 annual meeting Monday night, district
administrator Tom Benson informed about a dozen members of the
audience – most of them district employees – that Evergreen Realty
has listed the property for sale for $549,000.

The asking price was a far cry from the $1 million that board
member Jim Wieczorek thought it was worth at the board’s July
meeting – and far less than the $2.5 million the district had
insured it for.

Despite the appraisal, Benson said he wasn’t all that surprised by
the listing price. He said district administrators weren’t sure
what to expect going in, but are certain what they want out of
it.

“We’d love to see it (the property) used,” Benson said. “We’d love
to see somebody come

forward with a plan for it.”

The school has been dormant since June 2010, when the board closed
it to help balance the budget. But the school still has cost the
district about $17,000 for basic maintenance and utility costs over
the last 12 months.

Because of expected budget shortfalls in the foreseeable future,
the board made the determination that it was unlikely the
elementary school would reopen.

Benson said district administrators would like to sell the
property, which is between 12 and 13 acres, this year if possible.
He said they want to get a deal done partly because of the upkeep
costs and partly to help the Rock Springs community.

“Ideally we would like to have somebody ‘living there’ before the
winter sets in,” Benson said.

But he was quick to mention that the district won’t simply sell the
property for much less than it’s worth just to move it. Benson said
the district will entertain a variety of offers, but is definitely
looking for something that will enhance the community.

“We’re just hoping that someone who wants to be a genuinely active
member in the Rock Springs community comes forward,” he said.

Several groups already have inquired about the property, Benson
said. One of those groups was made up of three locals who presented
an idea in July to form a farmer’s co-op.

Other annual meeting notes

The electorate passed two resolutions Monday for School Board
salaries and for the school district tax levy without much
discussion.

School Board salaries will remain at $2,500 for each member. Their
salaries were cut from $2,750 at the 2009 annual meeting.

The district tax levy will be $13,855,911 overall. Almost $11.7
million of that will go toward the district’s general fund; more
than $2 million will go toward paying off existing debt.