The South Tama County School Board on Monday set public hearings for the sale of the former middle school, the old football field, and the tennis-court property — all three being purchased by Southfork Premier Properties — for Nov. 24 at 5 p.m.

The proposed sale prices are $20,100 for the former middle school, $8,510 for the old football field, and $10,010 for the tennis-court property.

Superintendent John Cain said the sales are progressing and the same buyer remains interested in each property. Southfork has also purchased all remaining athletic and fitness equipment, along with the kitchen equipment from the middle school. The district plans to hold a small public sale for leftover furnishings and scrap the remaining materials.

A small agenda change moved the clause requiring the conversion of the tennis courts into pickleball courts from the middle-school resolution to the tennis-court deed itself. According to Cain, the purchase agreement gives Southfork one year to complete the remodeling of the tennis courts as part of the sale conditions. He said the district continues to coordinate with the City of Toledo and the purchaser to ensure fair-market access to the gym and proper upkeep of the property.

Cain added that the district’s legal counsel reviewed the possibility of adding an insurance bond to the purchase agreement but found it not cost-effective or legally advisable for the district. Southfork likewise expressed no interest in purchasing one, preferring instead to invest directly in the redevelopment of the properties.

The tennis court project will serve as an early indicator of the redevelopment’s progress, while the broader agreement allows up to 10 years for Southfork to complete development of the former middle school property.

Maintenance and custodial teams, with help from high school students, are clearing the middle school from top to bottom as the closing date nears.

During discussion, board members also revisited a suggestion from the city to plan for a “just-in-case” fund in the coming decade if redevelopment stalls. Cain said he intends to review that idea with legal counsel but remains focused on seeing the buyer’s plan succeed.

Certified enrollment figures finalized in early October show a slight decrease from last year, continuing a gradual decline the district has tracked for several years. Projections suggest numbers could level off in the coming decade, though the board noted the district has lost roughly 150 to 200 students since 2020.

Cain and Business Manager Katie Mathern will present a corrective-action plan to the state following a financial report submitted 12 hours late. The board agreed to schedule a finance work session the week of Nov. 10, likely at 7 a.m. mid-week, to close out the current board’s term.

The Nov. 10 regular meeting is expected to be brief to allow attendance at the high school activities banquet that same evening; holding the meeting at the high school is under consideration.

Parent-teacher conferences take place this week with no school Friday. The meeting adjourned just after 6 p.m.