FILE:  E-1.8d

SITE ACQUISITION

The Central Community School Board believes that site selection and development should start from the premise that the school is an integral and inseparable part of the total community.  Since the school is a community institution, it should reflect this relationship physically as well as ideologically.

The manner and extent to which a site serves a school district’s educational needs should be considered as only one aspect of its adequacy.  Adequacy should also be appraised in respect to its potential for contributing to the scope and depth of many other cultural functions in the community.

The state legislature has charged local school boards in Louisiana with the sole responsibility for selecting school sites and this authority cannot be delegated.  The processes of selection, however, concern the entire administration and supervisory staffs, and others with special skills and insights.  The Superintendent, therefore, shall be authorized to establish such criteria and procedures as are necessary to assure the citizens and School Board that the best possible sites are being acquired for the least expenditure of public funds.

PURCHASE OF PROPERTY

Once adequate and appropriate property has been identified, the School Board shall select the site and authorize purchase of the property to be used for construction of school facilities.  The School Board may expedite the purchase of a given piece of property for public school purposes in order that negotiations with the owner may begin immediately.  The School Board shall maintain communication with the owner or his/her counsel as proceedings develop in order to provide an opportunity to negotiate a purchase rather than resort to or continue court action.  It shall be the School Board’s declared intent to negotiate reasonably and amicably and to avoid friction when possible while continuing negotiations.  However, if a problem arises during negotiations which delays acquisition of the property by the School Board, expropriation proceedings may ensue as provided by law to enable the School Board to acquire the property.

Ref:    Constitution of Louisiana, Art. I, Sec. 4

La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:81, 19:1, 19:2, 19:2.1, 19:2.2

Central Community School Board