Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Surplus Property topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Bogalusa board declares surplus properties amid debate over demolition and asbestos costs
Summary
Trustees authorized surplus status for several vacant school properties but acknowledged high remediation and demolition costs, including asbestos abatement estimates cited in the meeting as high as $800,000; the board said it will seek appraisals and cost estimates before any demolition.
The City of Bogalusa School District board voted to place several district properties on the surplus list and open them for public bidding, but discussion exposed a persistent dilemma: the district carries costs for vacant, aging buildings that are costly to remediate or demolish.
Board members listed properties to be declared surplus, including Columbia Street Elementary, Denim Town Elementary, Pleasant Hill Elementary, Superior Avenue Elementary, Long Avenue Elementary, Avenue J building and Tacoma Street lots seven and eight. The board authorized public notice and a 30‑day bid period.
During public comment and discussion, resident Felicia Mingo asked whether demolition might be a better long‑term option given ongoing maintenance and vandalism. A board member replied that liability insurance and asbestos remediation complicate demolition planning, noting prior bids and remediation estimates. One board member cited a past remediation/demolition bid of “like $800,000” for a facility where asbestos was present.
"If we're putting them up and no one bids on them and we continuously spending money on them, what would be the cost to demolish some of these properties?" asked Felicia Mingo during the public comment period.
Board members described alternatives: obtaining appraisals, advertising the properties for sale, placing them back on the market, or budgeting for selective demolition over time. Several board members said the land value may exceed building value on some lots, and that the district plans to collect estimates and possibly set aside funds to tear down the worst structures.
Why it matters: Surplus properties can relieve the district of maintenance burdens and generate revenue, but contaminated buildings require costly abatement that can exceed the property’s market value. That tradeoff affects district budgets and neighborhood conditions.
What’s next: The board requested appraisals and demolition cost estimates and said it will return with figures to guide whether properties should be sold 'as is', demolished, or held for redevelopment. No demolition contracts or funds were approved at the meeting.
