Superintendent asks county to examine repurposing old middle school for county needs

John Kane, who identified himself as a superintendent for North and South, told the Tama County Board the district has invested in the old middle school's maintenance and asked whether the county had interest in pursuing the building for county use. "We could arrange for tours. We could arrange for getting you uh details on the building uh size and class size and things like that," Kane said, describing the request as an initial conversation to determine feasibility and next steps.

Kane said the building has had substantial prior investment including a new roof and that an asbestos study is in progress with abatement efforts already underway in parts of the structure. Board members expressed interest in a site tour, discussed legal and code constraints for uses such as a jail and suggested involving structural and corrections-space experts to assess feasibility. No formal decision or motion was taken; the board directed staff to set up a tour and gather reports and further information for a follow-up discussion.