Committee to review possible high school sites

COLUMBIA- Columbia Public School’s Board of Education announced plans to form a committee to review land proposals for the location of a new high school, Superintendant Phyllis Chase said.

“With the additional (land) offer and the perception there was a need for a more public process, this is what the board desired,” Chase said. She said the board will submit recommendations of who they would like to see on the committee.

The committee will evaluate the proposed sites based on acreage, cost and an engineering and environmental survey similar to the one conducted on the site at Rangeline and New Haven roads — the site the school board approved in June.

The committee will hold a public work session Sept. 18, where they will discuss and rank the property proposals. The committee’s evaluations will be presented to the school board at a work session on Sept. 20.

Any additional property owners wishing to donate or sell property to the school district can submit offers by Sept. 4 to the district’s attorney, David Walker, at 3210 Bluff Creek Drive, Columbia, MO 65201.

After the school board chose the site at Rangeline and New Haven roads, Columbians said they wanted a high school in north Columbia. On Friday, local businessman George Godas increased his offer of 40 to 50 acres in north Columbia to 80 acres.