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Board authorizes legal steps over Jacksonville Elementary site after city clears damaged buildings
Summary
The Pulaski County Special School District resolved to authorize the superintendent and legal counsel to pursue remedies related to the Jacksonville Elementary property after the city removed buildings and after questions about insurance and cleanup costs.
The Pulaski County Special School District board on June 10 approved a resolution authorizing the superintendent and district counsel to pursue "appropriate legal remedies" to protect the district’s interest in property once occupied by Jacksonville Elementary School.
The property, owned by PCSSD, had been leased to the City of Jacksonville in a 2013 lease (99 years, $1 per year). The city used the property but — according to district materials and statements at the meeting — failed to maintain required insurance and later voted at one point to terminate the lease. The site suffered arson damage to a portion of the complex (the "Federal Building") and then was heavily damaged by a tornado in 2022. The city eventually demolished the above‑ground structures, but concrete slabs and remediation needs remain.
Board materials showed the district obtained an appraisal in 2023 that estimated the land value at roughly $486,000 if cleared of structures. Trustees were told the city has not completed removal of slabs and that removal and asbestos remediation create significant costs. The board discussed options including negotiation, arbitration or litigation to enforce lease obligations; paragraph 5 and the insurance clause (paragraph 9) of the 2013 lease were highlighted by trustees as central provisions.
The resolution, drafted with district counsel, authorizes the superintendent and legal counsel to "propose and pursue appropriate legal remedies to best protect the district and its right to the property subject to the lease." Trustees approved the resolution by voice vote (recorded as 6–1; Trustee Maynard was the lone no), and directed administration to continue negotiations with Jacksonville’s mayor about finishing the cleanup and potential sale terms.
Trustees said they preferred an amicable outcome if possible — including options such as city removal of remaining slabs in exchange for a reduced purchase price — but made clear the district needed a formal direction to the superintendent and counsel to resolve the long‑running issue.
