Blair Oaks Makes Major Land Purchase

On Tuesday, the Blair Oaks R-II School District Board of Education voted unanimously to purchase 25.55 acres of land currently owned by Clete VanLoo. The Board disclosed the terms of the land purchase upon execution of the contract. The District will pay $20,000 per acre contingent upon official survey of the property. This per acre price is equivalent to the appraised value of the land. The land is located east of the middle school on the opposite side of Falcon Lane in Wardsville. The land is currently being used for farming. Over the last two fiscal years, the Board has reduced annual capital project spending in an effort to build a balance to make a potential land purchase possible. The land purchase will require the Board to do the same during the current fiscal year. The property will give the Board the opportunity to address future needs for expansion of facilities in the growing district. No timeline is currently available for potential development of the land. The Board of Education is pleased to make this important purchase for the future of our students and remains dedicated to exercising sound judgment in utilizing the district's resources in a manner that reflects the philosophy of the residents of the Blair Oaks R-II School District. This acquisition was made possible through careful planning and implementation of wise savings while maintaining an environment conducive to student learning and success. The Board of Education is grateful to the VanLoo Family for their willingness to assist the Blair Oaks R-II School District in meeting the needs of the students of the community. In 2004, the Blair Oaks R-II School District purchased 19.66 acres from Paul and Margaret VanLoo. The land was located north of the elementary school between Route B and Falcon Lane in Wardsville. The land became the location of the Falcon Athletic Complex.