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Board offers $2.2 million counteroffer for Jonesboro Middle School with continued public-use terms
Summary
The Washington County Board of Education voted 7–2 to send a $2.2 million counteroffer to the Town of Jonesboro for Jonesboro Middle School, including provisions to preserve public access to athletic fields and rights of way and a 10‑year resale clause; the town administrator said funding options could include USDA rural development loans or grants.
The Washington County Board of Education voted to offer the Town of Jonesboro $2,200,000 for Jonesboro Middle School, attaching terms designed to preserve community access and limit immediate resale. The motion passed 7–2 after extended debate over price, public use of fields and long-term protections.
Town Administrator Glenn Rosenoff, representing Jonesboro, told the board the town views the property as an opportunity to renovate an existing facility for municipal services rather than build new structures. “We’re looking at all kinds of infrastructure improvements,” Rosenoff said, adding the town would pursue Rural Development (USDA RD) funding and other grants if the purchase proceeds.
Board members pressed for protections tied to continued public access and maintenance. One amendment added a stipulation that if the town sells the property within 10 years, proceeds or disposition options would be negotiated with the school board; another required continued public use of athletic fields and rights of way. The amended offer — $2.2 million with those terms — was read into the record before the roll-call vote.
Board members cited competing priorities in the discussion: some argued the district should seek higher offers or advertise the property more broadly, while others emphasized preserving community uses and the potential taxpayer savings of renovation versus new construction. The board agreed to provide the town with 30 days (and to coordinate via the superintendent) for follow-up documentation and to return the matter to a future workshop if needed.
The board’s approval was procedural: the motion instructs staff to transmit the counteroffer and to prepare the formal language of the proposed terms. No sale is final until the three affected governmental bodies (the school board, the Town of Jonesboro and the county commission) finalize any interlocal agreement and any required approvals.
The next procedural step is for the town to respond and for staff to draft formal agreement language for the board to consider at a subsequent meeting.
