COAL TOWNSHIP - The Line Mountain School Board is soliciting sealed bids for the two elementary school buildings in Leck Kill and Dalmatia that were vacated in this year's district consolidation.
At Wednesday's school board meeting at the Northumberland County Career and Technology Center (NCCTC), solicitor Rich Roberts explained to the board members the school code requires them to either hold a public auction or accept sealed bids in order to sell a property.
If the board members wanted to go through a Realtor, they would need to petition the courts once that Realtor found a buyer and the Realtor would not be allowed to receive any commission until the courts approved that sale.
Superintendent Dave Campbell said it would be a minimal cost to advertise for bids, and the board members could reject them if they came in too low.
The district has appraisal information on the two properties from Real Estate Appraisal and Marketing Associates, Sunbury, who was hired in August.
Directors Marlin Yeager and Ronald Neidig made and seconded the motion to advertise for the sealed bids. The motion passed 8-0 with President Troy Laudenslager abstaining.
Laudenslager said a family member is interested in purchasing one of the properties; therefore, he excused himself from the discussion and voting matters on the buildings' sales.
The two schools were closed before the 2013-14 school year as part of an overall district consolidation plan. School buildings in Trevorton and Mandata were expanded to accommodate a realignment of the school district. Students in grades kindergarten through fourth are attending class in Trevorton, while fifth and sixth graders are attending class in the new addition of the high school building.
The discussion took place following a 40-minute executive session for litigation and collective bargaining agreements.
Also, prior to the regular meeting, the following votes were taken as part of the re-organization meeting:
- Laudenslager was unanimously re-elected as board president.
- Director Dennis Erdman was unanimously re-elected as board vice president.
- Director Lawrence Neidig was unanimously re-elected as Pennsylvania School Board Association representative.
- Directors Erdman and David Scott Bartholomew were re-elected as NCTCC representatives.
