Board agrees to 11‑day extension for warehouse buyer after survey delay

Marion County School Board members on Tuesday agreed by consensus to give a prospective buyer 11 more days to finish a survey and close on a county warehouse sale, after the buyer missed earlier deadlines and the board’s attorney warned against further open‑ended extensions.

The issue matters because the board has repeatedly extended the buyer’s due‑diligence period and reduced the offer price; if the buyer fails to close again the district will keep a $100,000 hard deposit and may relist the property.

Attorney Jeremy Powers summarized the sale’s timeline and legal options, telling the board the buyer — identified in prior proceedings as 1 Remington — “failed to order a survey” and “will not be able to close on the thirtieth.” Powers said the buyer asked for another extension and that the district’s third amendment included a hard deposit provision to protect the board if the buyer defaults. He described three practical options: insist on closing on June 30, sign a fourth amendment extending the closing to July 11, or reject the buyer and retain the deposit.

Members voiced frustration with repeated delays but also supported giving the purchaser one final short extension. Doctor James said he favored the 11‑day extension, arguing the board was unlikely to receive a better offer and that the board should “get this across the finish line.” Doctor Campbell said she would “offer a little bit of grace” for a buyer unfamiliar with Florida procedures but warned that July 11 would be the last extension she would accept. Board member Cowen and Reverend Cummings said they supported the extension but emphasized that no additional amendments should follow.

Powers told the board he had prepared a draft fourth amendment that would extend the closing to July 11 and said he would have Chair Conrad sign it if the board gave consensus so the matter would not need to be placed on a future agenda. He emphasized the district is protected by the $100,000 deposit if the buyer fails to close under the amended schedule: “If they don’t close at the time we say, then that’s a deposit that we get.”

Board members asked that the chair and counsel make clear to the buyer that July 11 is final and that no further price renegotiation is expected. Several members noted the buyer’s pattern of seeking deadline extensions during transactions in other jurisdictions and said the board’s patience had limits.

If the buyer does not close by the new date, the district’s available remedies include retaining the deposit and relisting the property. Powers said he would notify the board of any final developments but did not schedule a formal vote; members provided verbal consensus for the extension and authority for the chair to sign the amendment if needed.

The board’s decisions leave the sale dependent on the buyer’s survey work and the July 11 deadline; if the buyer completes its work and records the closing documents the district will proceed with the sale. If not, the district will keep the deposit and determine next steps.