Canutillo ISD board reopens bidding on Straight Hand Road property after bidder complaints and neighborhood concerns

Canutillo ISD trustees voted to close or reject existing bids and reopen the sale process for a district-owned property on Straight Hand Road after public comment alleging irregularities in the bidding process and neighbors raising concerns about site access and future development.

An attorney for a bidder told the board the district reopened bidding to solicit additional offers from a limited group after initial bids were submitted. "After bidders were asked to bid on the property and after they did bid on the property, bidding was arbitrarily reopened to solicit bids from the select few bidders," said Danny Martinez, an attorney with Scott Fultz representing bidder Edward Holmes. Martinez said his client's plan is residential development aimed at producing tax revenue and described expected densities in range estimates: "we believe we can do this by developing the property to accommodate 5 and a half houses per acre ... in the event that's not possible ... we…