Colman-Egan School District board approves development plan to present to City of Commerce

The Colman-Egan School District 50-5 board voted to approve a school development plan and the draft development agreement to present to the City of Commerce, Chair said during the regular meeting. "I just need a motion to approve the development plan to present to the city of Commerce," the Chair said, after which a motion, a second and a voice vote resulted in the Chair announcing, "Motion carries."

A committee member described how the draft was assembled, saying district staff and representatives from Pitts worked with the city attorney and used a sample from the City of Bryant as reference. The committee member summarized what the draft says about utilities and responsibilities: "We will run our water to the city water hookup... any improvements that we do, the district's gonna take care of them," and noted that some items are left as TBD until annexation and rights-of-way are finalized. The member also said Pitts typically works with tax-increment financing (TIF) in other cases but indicated a TIF is "not applicable in this case."

Board members discussed the timing for the city's public hearing and next procedural steps. The committee member said the city scheduled a public hearing on rezoning and annexation for the 2nd at the Clubhouse at 6:00 p.m.; the Chair said the board expects to know the city's decision by the next regular meeting, June 8. No public commenters addressed the board at this meeting.