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Albany County School District #1 reviews land and buildings; board asked to consider appraisals and public hearings
Summary
District staff presented a sweeping review of properties the district owns or controls — including Cottonwood, Notch Peak, Old Slate, Bridal Elementary and several rural parcels — and outlined sale, demolition and repurposing options. Staff recommended appraisals and coordinated public hearings before any disposals; trustees asked follow‑up
District facilities staff presented trustees with an inventory of properties owned or controlled by Albany County School District #1 and outlined options to demolish, sell or repurpose several sites during the board’s April work session.
Randy Wilkerson, presenting the review, said the district has properties that were acquired at different times — some purchased directly by the district and others inherited during earlier consolidations — and that each parcel raises distinct legal, financial and logistical questions. “We are trying to streamline what they have to take pay us to take care of also,” Wilkerson told trustees, describing coordination with the School Facilities Department and School Facilities Commission.
Wilkerson gave examples and preliminary figures: Cottonwood Elementary (1795 Cottonwood Creek) already has board approvals for disposal and a negotiated $1 transfer to an adjacent landowner; the district estimated demolition at about $40,000 and approved routine improvements at $32,000 because demolition hauling would be more expensive. Notch Peak School is scheduled for School Facilities Commission consideration and would be advertised for sale in April if approved. Old Slate Elementary is out to bid for abatement and remediation; Wilkerson said SFC/DEQ approvals would take weeks after contract award and the earliest construction start would likely be in June if the board authorizes a quick award.
Wilkerson said proceeds from property sales are currently understood to be restricted for building remedies or major maintenance under an attorney‑general advisory and School Facilities Department guidance; district finance staff confirmed sale profits would be placed in a capital‑construction account (Fund 30) that is restricted for repair, remodel, facilities acquisition and similar uses. When Trustee Alex Christine asked how the district would expand Playwright if needed, that discussion remained separate; trustees pressed staff on appraisal timing, public‑meeting sequencing and how proceeds could be applied.
Other parcels discussed included a 1978 purchase at Fifteenth and Beaufort, several small donated rural parcels whose use is constrained by leach fields or access, the Boulder and Beach site near Turner Track, and a five‑acre parcel identified as the future Laramie Middle School site. Wilkerson told trustees appraisals for the set of properties would cost roughly $19,200 if done by a Fort Collins firm and about $22,000 if done by a local Laramie appraiser; multiple trustees recommended ordering appraisals to inform future decisions and to prioritize public hearings on the most promising parcels.
Trustees and staff discussed the condition and options for Bridal Elementary, currently mothballed through 2026. Wilkerson outlined two paths: keep Bridal as district storage/central office use (which would require a conditional‑use permit, lot consolidation and site‑plan work) or proceed with sale or demolition. He provided a rough cost range of “a little over a couple million dollars” up to about $3.5 million for minimal to more complete renovations if the board chose to convert Bridal into district administration space; Wilkerson said the district could fund those renovations with a combination of property sale proceeds and Slate remediation funds if the board supported the consolidation.
Trustees asked about municipal permitting requirements, traffic and parking, ADA upgrades, potential asbestos remediation, demolition and bids on several projects. District finance staff (Tristan, district staff) clarified that funds from sales would be placed in a restricted capital construction account and would not reduce state maintenance allocations.
Wilkerson recommended a sequence of next steps: order appraisals, schedule one or more public meetings to solicit community input and then take recommended parcels to the School Facilities Commission (SFC) for approval in June where needed. Multiple trustees signaled support for beginning appraisals and grouping public hearings to reduce duplication.
The presentation was for board discussion; trustees did not take final votes to sell or repurpose any parcel during the work session.
