The Manhattan-Odgen USD 383 Board of Education gave final approval to the land transfer agreement between the district and Pottawatomie County land owners.
Assistant Superintendent Eric Reid presented the agreement to the board during the March 28 meeting. In the presentation, Reid said they would be trading the land they owned near Elbo Creek Road with a property closer to the infrastructure of Blue Township. The board gave preliminary approval to the agreement during this meeting.
During Wednesday night’s meeting, the board made the agreement official with their final approval. Reid spoke to the board saying he received mostly positive feedback to the agreement. He did, however, bring up one phone call from a citizen who said the transfer was a mistake saying the Elbo property was better to the proposed property because it was closer to housing. Reid said one of the reasons the land was considered was because of its closer proximity to the township.
The new property, previously owned by David Nelson and Leon Borck, would be considered for the future site of a new elementary school. Reid said the Elbo property was located on a creek, making construction harder. He also brought up a major roadblock with the proposed property with the roads north of the site. However, Reid said they have contracts in place with Pottawatomie County to pave Junietta and Moody roads.