Wequiock Elementary is officially out of the hands of the Green Bay school district — the district sold the property for $500,000 on June 17, marking the first official sale in its consolidation process.
The property was sold to David Charles, president and owner of Cash Depot Ltd., who made the $500,000 offer in April.
Charles doesn’t have a plan for the 11.4-acre property as of now, he said. He purchased it because it was a good piece of property in a good location. He said he has no plans to raze the building.
The empty Wequiock building cost the district $83,206 to operate annually, which includes utilities, insurance, groundskeeping, custodial fees and some maintenance. Any vacant properties the district still owns past July 1 will see significantly increased insurance costs, according to the district.
In a statement, Green Bay superintendent Vicki Bayer noted the decision to close and sell Wequiock came down to funding concerns. It’s a sad day for everyone, she said.
“The closure and sale of Wequiock was a difficult decision, which was made necessary due to the continued underfunding of public education by the state legislature,” Bayer said.
She also said “more difficult decisions” will have to be made if if the proposed state budget isn’t improved.
This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Green Bay school district sells Wequiock Elementary property
Reporting by Nadia Scharf, Green Bay Press-Gazette / Green Bay Press-Gazette
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