Prairie du Chien school board considers leasing part of middle school

Prairie du Chien’s school board is considering leasing part of its middle school to a health care center. Last month voters rejected a $10 million multi-year operating referendum. The district now has to find other ways to raise money to keep the district afloat. One idea is to lease 8,000 square feet of Bluff View Middle School to Scenic Bluffs Community Health Centers. Scenic Bluffs would then set up primary care and a training center for students to engage in career opportunities. On Nov. 25 the board voted for a resolution giving them the ability to explore a lease agreement. But at Monday’s meeting, school board VP Nick Gilberts said that meeting broke the state’s open meetings law because the district didn’t post enough public notices beforehand. If true, that would cancel any action taken on that Nov. 25 meeting. That could set up a public vote on the idea later this month.