news-record.com

GREENSBORO — The Guilford County school board opted not to extend the option on property it is considering for a southeast-area elementary school.

The board voted 6-5 against extending the contract through Feb. 28 on a total of 55 acres near McLeansville. The vote came after a closed session that took the board meeting Tuesday night past 12:30 a.m. Wednesday.

The option to buy the property runs out Nov. 30; extending the deadline would have cost the county $5,000. The county will lose $10,000 if it does not buy the property. The property would cost $637,500.

The possible purchase of the property has hit several snags since the option was approved. Many parents and residents in southeastern Guilford consider the property to be in eastern Guilford and fear that if the school is built north of Interstate 85, it would eventually serve that community rather than theirs.

With those concerns in mind, board members directed district officials late this summer to revisit the property search in hopes of finding suitable land south of I-85.

The issue was further complicated when district officials informed the school board two weeks ago that the optioned property is likely not suitable for a septic system, as originally believed. Being able to put a septic system on the property made it one of the least expensive options, school board member Paul Daniels said.

Instead, Daniels and Guilford County Commissioner Billy Yow said the board was told it could cost between $200,000 and

$2 million to connect the property to Greensboro’s sewer system, depending on the amount of work needed.

Contact J. Brian Ewing at 373-7351 or brian.ewing@news-record.com