The Tea Area School Board voted to move forward with the purchase of roughly 21.5 acres intended for a future middle school site, approving a purchase price of about $1,073,000 plus closing costs and authorizing staff to pay closing expenses up to $250,000 if a closing occurs before the next board meeting.

Wayne, who led the district’s due diligence review, told the board the district signed a purchase agreement with the property owners, “Medicor and Mortensen Trust, for approximately 21 and a half acres of land, purchase price of, $1,073,000 plus closing cost.” He said the district also negotiated a contract-for-deed option spread over five years—about $215,000 per year—contingent on satisfactory due diligence. The board approved the motion by voice vote.

Due diligence included a Phase I environmental site assessment and six soil borings. Wayne reported the Phase I review ‘‘did not discover anything that would preclude us from purchasing that property from an environmental standpoint.’’ He said two borings showed a few feet of near-surface “fatty clays” that would require removal and replacement with engineered fill, while the other borings were acceptable for building after minor remediation. He described water and sewer as likely available within a 6–10 year horizon based on meetings with the City of Sioux Falls engineers and planners.

The board also discussed site logistics: the parcel sits about a half mile west of Ellis Highway, adjacent to a recently resurfaced county road, and is large enough for a building, parking, athletic fields and a possible small bus barn, the board was told. Stockwell Engineering prepared a minor plat that the city approved for circulation in its jurisdiction; the district will file the plat with the county as part of closing.

Board members asked practical questions about remediation, utilities and timing. No additional conditions were imposed by the board in the meeting; the motion approved the purchase and gave the district authority to pay closing costs up to $250,000 when a closing date is set.

Next steps: staff will proceed to closing arrangements and complete title, plat filing and any remediation work required before final transfer. The board will receive final documents and, where required, a resolution related to any bond or debt issuance tied to the purchase before further funding actions are taken.