| Community
meetings held regarding old school
About 25 people attended a special community meeting on the old Elementary School Tuesday, March 14 at the Auxiliary Gym. The meeting was held to help determine the community needs and best possible uses of the facility and was run by Michael Taylor of the Vitanuova Consulting Group. Daniel Sigler said he would like to see it turned into a community center similar to one in his wife’s hometown in Kansas. Theirs was built from scratch where we already have a gym and former classrooms that could be converted to a fitness center or daycare. The Kansas one covers day to day expenses with memberships with any new equipment being paid for through corporate grants. Apparently Sigler’s proposal has gathered some steam following the meeting as a group met Monday to pursue this, whether it is in the old Elementary School or some other location in town. They are looking into filing as a non-profit. Senior living space is still a need in the community. Several in attendance expressed concern about the community losing the use of the gym. Taylor said it may be easier to sell the main part of the school without the gym. Gus Hoene commented that if he had the money he would put senior duplexes on the south portion of the property and turn the old classrooms in the main part of the building into indoor storage facilities which would provide income without a lot of expense. Nick Seubert asked what the cleanup cost of asbestos and lead paint would be. Taylor said they were looking at $145,000-$185,000. Scott Perrin said you may just need to take your best loss and move on. Taylor said you’re going to have some insecurity no matter what and it would likely take at least 2 years for any ideas to come to fruition. Ideas presented at this meeting and others during their time in Cottonwood will be taken and see what develops. “Resources follow good ideas,” said Taylor. Christine Frei of CEDA said they will do a feasibility study on the ideas presented. 
Superintendent Rene' Forsmann welcomes people to the public meeting. |
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