Elementary School Gets Land Appraisal

FARMINGTON — The vacant land next to Williams Elementary School on Broyles Street has an appraised market value of $450,000 or $22,300 per acre for approximately 20 acres, according to a report from Stringfellow and Associates Appraisers of Farmington.

Bryan Law, Farmington school superintendent, requested the appraisal in light of a preliminary proposal by two school board members who are interested in purchasing the land. Law shared the report at a special school board meeting Thursday.

Law asked the board members, Bleaux Barnes and Doug Williams, to step out of the room while he discussed the matter with board President Jeff Oxford and member Travis Warren. Board member Tony Parsley was absent.

The special meeting was called to accept a bid to install a new roof on the senior hall at Farmington High. The board voted to approve a low bid of $97,625 from Franklin and Sons Roofing of Farmington. The project will take 35-40 days to complete and will not be finished before the first day of school on Aug. 19, according to Reggie Higgs, maintenance supervisor.

The board approved one other item of business before turning to the discussion about the vacant land next to Williams. The school will continue its policy to be a “gun free school zone.” Students or teachers are not allowed to keep hunting rifles or other types of weapons in their vehicles at school.

The Farmington School District purchased 40 acres on Broyles Street about 10 years ago for $ 11,000 per acre. Williams Elementary School is located on about nine acres of the land. The remaining tract has a large drainage ditch going through part of it and another three acres in the back of the property is in a flood plain.

Law said Stringfellow appraised the market value of the northern part of the vacant property.

Because board members are interested in the land, Law said he wants to make sure all actions and discussions are transparent. He recommended asking a second appraiser to look over the report.

Law also said he thought maybe the school should open up the purchase as a bid process and set the appraisal price as the minimum bid.

“With a bid process, if you open it up and have it out there, everyone has a shot at it,” Law said.

In addition, Law said that Dr. Tom Kimbrell, commissioner of education for the Arkansas Department of Education, would make the decision on selling the property because of the involvement of board members.

“The School Board would pass a resolution on why we want to sell it,” Law said.

Oxford and Warren both said they agreed with Law’s recommendations to get a second opinion and to put the land purchase out for bids.

“Regardless of who buys it, the land has served its purpose,” Oxford said. “Half a million dollars goes a long ways. I’m all for it as long as the state’s doing it.”

Warren said that he thought it was “only fair” to allow others to also bid on purchasing the land.

Williams and Barnes have indicated they are interested in purchasing the land for a single-family housing development. Williams on Thursday said their plans are preliminary and their continued interest in the land would depend on the appraised value.