WELCOME– The Martin County West School District formed a task force including some community leaders, school maintenance, school board and city council members. That group had a public meeting on Thursday evening at the Welcome Legion Hall. Apbout 20 people attended the meeting led by MCW Superintendent, Cory Reynolds. There were representatives from the

Welcome City Council, Sherburn City Council, along with school board members and former school board members. There were community leaders such as bankers and economic development members and business owners, a County Commissioner, and people from the surrounding communities present.

The task force was formed to gather information and report their recommendation to the MCW School District School Board by May of 2022. At present, the old school building in Welcome is not usable. The school district has the financial risk and will try to spread the burden throughout the school district. The school district is also trying to have a balanced budget which the superintendent acknowledged is her and the school board’s task. She said ”There can be no talk of further buildings, the district needs/wants until

the situation of the Welcome School Building is resolved and concluded.”

Reynolds mentioned that the meeting should not rehash old situations but concentrate on the future and that everyone that wanted to speak would be heard. A consideration of

all those present was asked so that not just one person was heard and those speaking should give others a chance to speak. The limit of about five minutes per speaker was suggested.

There were two situations mentioned, selling the property or demolishing the property. Different speakers brought up issues with both of those possibilities. All those present agreed that there should be some sort of bond or restriction or escrow to prevent a

buyer from taking all that could be salvaged from inside the school and then leaving the building with no demolition or rehabilitation. All agreed that there is a risk and the City of Welcome should not be entirely responsible since the building is a school district property. The fact that the building has been sitting for two years with no heat or water was mentioned and the former school board was blamed in part for that. The superintendent brought notes she could find about the maintenance and repair cost or demolition cost from other years. Development of the property after demolition was concluded was mentioned. Different offers were discussed with no conclusion on any of them. The cost of demolition will be considerable. A maintenance representative spoke about the deterioration of the building. Several people mentioned asbestos and mold and what underground toxins might be discovered when it is demolished would be a concern and state inspections would be

likely. The school district was asked to report the cost of demolition or at least an estimate and also what exactly is to be done. They asked if the estimates could be for the whole building and for just the old part and try to save the new part. The lines were drained, but not cleaned, and filled, the maintenance representative mentioned. He also told of water damage to the new part.

The group wanted to know if renovation was even feasible now or if the damage was too bad. The city hall or other offices were mentioned as possible uses for the salvageable part, if it is salvageable. The cost of demolition was estimated by some construction

representatives as considerable likely $50,000 or more. The question of getting grants for help with the demolition cost was mentioned. The superintendent mentioned that the district has smaller funds for maintenance, etc., but no large fund. Economic

development grants were mentioned and the fact that those take two years sometimes for a district. The MN Valley expertise was also suggested to get more current information. There was a suggestion that the bids for demolition could be separated to be for old part,

and new part and whole building. As far as development of the property after clean up, the city council members mentioned that there are few opportunities in Welcome for new development and that would depend on the ground toxins found. Some estimated the cost of demolition to be $750,000 to $1,000,000. The overall feeling at the meeting was that the building was too deteriorated and should be demolished.

More information about what was needed and what it will cost was suggested to the task force. Several asked for more information to be given to the people of the school district when the task force knows that information.