Group: Don't forget prairie option

Posted: Thursday, Jun 05, 2008 - 11:52:52 pm PDT
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By MAUREEN DOLAN
Staff writer 

Possibility raised for joint high school facility on site

COEUR d'ALENE -- A group is working to keep the idea of a professional-technical education complex on the Rathdrum Prairie from falling by the wayside as public debate continues to swirl around North Idaho College's intent to purchase land for the creation of an educational corridor in Coeur d'Alene's downtown area.

Brett Boyer, Rathdrum city administrator, said representatives from the Lakeland School District, the city of Rathdrum and the Rathdrum Chamber of Commerce have been meeting to discuss what they can do to encourage the college to renew an option it holds on the purchase of 135 acres owned by Wayne Meyer and three of his brothers at the intersection of Lancaster and Meyer roads.

"We're weighing in to say, 'Hey, we think it's a good site,'" Boyer said. "There's plenty of room to grow. There's good access and the utilities are there."

Boyer said there could potentially be a joint high school facility on the site also.

Retiring Lakeland school superintendent Chuck Kinsey said the three local school districts -- Lakeland, Coeur d'Alene and Post Falls -- have been meeting with NIC representatives and members of the business community to explore the creation of a joint professional-technical high school.

Kinsey said that is something that has been in the works for some time.

"The group has expressed a strong interest in being co-located with NIC so their future plans are very important to us," Kinsey said.

In October 2006, NIC trustees authorized the college to enter into a two-year option to purchase the land from the Meyer family at a cost of $100,000 per year.

The agreement locked in the purchase price at $27,500 per acre.

The second year of the option expires in November.

To date, NIC representatives have not indicated whether the college intends to renew the option.

Two years ago, when NIC secured the right to buy the prairie land the discussion centered on using it for a professional-technical facility that would be a collaborative effort between NIC, the Coeur d'Alene, Post Falls and Lakeland school districts.

NIC spokesman Kent Propst said the trustees have made it clear that the college's commitment to the expansion of professional-technical education has not diminished as it explores the possibility of purchasing the 17-acre DeArmond Mill site adjacent to the campus for the educational corridor.

Developer Marshall Chesrown has an agreement to purchase the mill site from Stimson Lumber Company and has committed to sell it to North Idaho College or another government entity for $10 million for the purpose of expanding education in the region.

The closing on the sale of the property from Stimson to Chesrown is not expected to take place until at least November.

Former state senator and Kootenai County commissioner Dick Compton said he doesn't think NIC has to choose between the Stimson mill site and the prairie site, but does need to be aware of the costs involved in expanding to a second campus.

He said the $3.5 million purchase price "is just the start. You couldn't relocate the college there, but it would work as a satellite campus."

Compton said he supports the idea of using the prairie land for professional-technical education, but because NIC is landbound the college would be short-sighted not to take advantage of the opportunity to buy the mill site, as long as the price is within its appraised value.

"I think one of those things I regret most is the (land) I didn't buy when I had the chance," Compton said.

Rathdrum chamber president Jeff Smith said, in his personal opinion, it makes sense for NIC to purchase the mill site because it needs room to expand.

"There's a group of us, not necessarily all located in the northern part of the county, members of the manufacturers' consortium and the chamber, who are basically trying to work with NIC in making sure that as they develop the education corridor that this piece of ground that they've entered into this option to purchase continues to be considered," Smith said.

The group, Smith said, including the North Idaho Manufacturing Consortium, a business group comprising some of the area's top manufacturing companies, is exploring ways for NIC, the school districts and the business entities involved to come up with the money to purchase the land.

Smith said the city of Rathdrum has possible access to a $500,000 state grant and a federal grant for the same amount. A "Gem Grant" could also come into play, he said.

"Our position is it doesn't have to be either or and probably what the community needs is both," Smith said. "What it comes down to is this, there is a conscious effort by many entities to try and figure out how to do both."

Staff writer Rick Thomas contributed to this report.