MCPSS tables housing authority proposal

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - The Mobile County Public School Board tabled a proposal that would hand over ownership of the old Blount High school Property to the Prichard Housing Authority.

The Board was expected to discuss the matter at Tuesday’s meeting, but decided they needed more time to review the proposed agreement.

“When you're dealing with the trust and confidence of the public and their land and you are the care keeper of that, you want to make sure that everything is correct,” said District 1 Commissioner Ken Megginson.

The school system is considering donating the 25-plus acres in Prichard to the Housing Authority, who wants to build low income homes.

In the contract, the housing authority would have five years to build or MCPSS would regain control of the land.

“There's not a reason to believe that we would come back at any given point and time and build a school on the same site that we removed a school from,” said board member Dr. William Foster.

Dr. Foster said adding more homes in Prichard would boost student population in an area that has seen a steady decline over the years.

Other board members, however, believe it’s not a smart business move.

“I'm not convinced specific benefits,” said board member Judy Stout. “It's sitting there. It requires us to mow, and that's about all it requires us to do the benefits. I don't know what they might be.”

Dr. Reginald Crenshaw serves on both the school board and the Prichard Housing Board.

“I can't comment. It'd be a conflict of interest,” he said.

School leaders said he has rescued himself from the discussion, although the Housing Authority approached the board with the plans.

In order for the deal to pass, the board will have to vote unanimously.

Judy Stout said she is not there yet.

“When you in debt or dispose property, you've left a legacy not of opportunities for future school boards but limitations,” said Stout.

Superintendent Martha Peek said the school system spent about $200,000 to demolish and cleanup the old Blount High School.

The property itself has been appraised for more than $200,000.