Missouri Valley College president outlines expansion plans; board votes to move real-estate discussion to closed session

Dr. Parisi, president of Missouri Valley College, told the Marshall Public Schools Board of Education that the college is pursuing property acquisitions to support enrollment growth and program expansion, including an interest in buying 1304 County Road.

"We have interest in purchasing the property at 1304 County Road," Parisi said, listing housing for students, expansion of the college’s rodeo program and a planned agriculture systems management degree as drivers of the request. He said Missouri Valley is planning for roughly 60 new students and needs land for agronomy labs and student housing to support those programs.

The board moved the real-estate item into closed session so staff could finalize a bid and said it would return to open session afterward. The motion to table the item and enter closed session passed on a voice vote recorded as 6 in favor, 0 opposed, with 1 recusal.

Why it matters: The college’s request links land use and local economic development with district property decisions. Parisi said Missouri Valley College has an estimated $19 million annual economic impact on the community and described the proposed purchase as part of a five‑year growth plan. He emphasized community partnerships, including teacher-preparation efforts with the district.

What the board did and did not decide: Board members did not approve or reject a sale or purchase at the meeting. The board voted only to move the contract/bid discussion into closed session to allow completion of a bid and to reconvene in open session afterward. No purchase contract was finalized in open session that night.

Context from administrators: Superintendent Pettit and other staff referenced district policy on first-right-of-refusal for certain properties and said the district has exercised such rights previously for land adjacent to Butterfield; those sales were managed via sealed bid or realtor, and protections related to subsidized-housing options were discussed as part of prior transactions. Pettit said additional real-estate motions will appear on this and future agendas and that the district intends to include right-of-first-refusal language when it sells certain properties.

Next steps: The board will reconvene in open session after the closed-session bid work and may act on any negotiated terms at that time. The public record from this meeting does not include a final sale, price, or buyer.