Local philanthropist urges board to preserve fixtures at former McNeil School amid auction timeline

Matt Finnegan, a resident who identified himself during public comment, told the Business Operations & Finance Committee on Sept. 2 that a small group of philanthropists and a pending 501(c)(3) are exploring reuse options for the former McNeil School.

Finnegan said the group’s plan could include a “tiny home community” with supportive services and that preserving interior items such as doors and floors would be important to making a reuse financially viable. “The furniture and fixtures in that building would be an important thing to remain,” Finnegan said. He added that “to remove the doors and the floors and all that kind of thing would deteriorate the value of this property significantly.”

Finnegan told the committee the group faces a timing problem because the fixtures are covered by a contract with Boyd Auction. He said the board could consider options that would prevent interior items from being removed while the group completes the board and regulatory steps needed to make an offer. He said his group’s 501(c)(3) board has not yet voted and expects action later in the month.

Finnegan estimated that sale proceeds from the property would be substantial, and that replacing removed fixtures could cost “hundreds of thousands” of dollars; he said that outcome could “kill the whole idea” of the community reuse because it would raise costs beyond practical levels.

The board did not take any formal action during the public-comment period on Finnegan’s request. Committee members thanked him for raising the possibility and noted limited meeting time for public comment.

The remarks were made during the board’s business operations and finance committee meeting; no staff report or motion about the Boyd Auction contract appeared on the committee’s published agenda that night.