City approves Hennessy Hall agreement

The Dodge City Commission has agreed to sell Hennessy Hall to USD 443, which hopes to convert the building into a new middle school if voters approve.
    The commission voted Tuesday to approve a letter assuring district officials that the city will sell Hennessy Hall and the adjacent property to the district for $1, City Clerk Nannette Pogue said Wednesday. She said the small amount  is common when one taxing entity is selling property to another.
    According to the letter, the city also agreed:
    • To provide public access to the site according to city standards and to work with the school district on financing the project. The letter said the city is considering establishing a benefit district for those improvements.
    • That officials believe the water and wastewater services available at the site are enough to support a middle school. The school district would be responsible for connecting to those services and for any upgrades.
    • To work with the district to develop a comprehensive storm water drainage plan for the entire St. Mary's complex.
    • To act in the community's best interests concerning Hennessy Hall's historic status.
    "If you and the Board of Education can offer the commission the assurances and documentation that it is necessary to remove the historical status of the facility, the commission will support the actions of the Board of Education," the letter said.
    • To amend an existing agreement with the school district to include one or more sports fields at the complex and to incorporate gymnasiums at the new school.
    • To enter into an agreement with the district to share parking at the complex.
    The letter said the city would request assurances that the school district would incorporate the complex's bicycle path into the site plan for Hennessy Hall.
    USD 443 public information coordinator Seth Eckelman said the letter was a necessary first step so the school district can move forward with plans to convert Hennessy Hall into a middle school. He noted that the district must seek state approval to issue bonds for the project, since the district's bonded indebtedness is already more than 14 percent.
    "Given that we have to do that, that requires that we have at least preliminary plans," he said.
    Once the state approves the district's request, district officials can finalize the ballot language and prepare for a Jan. 27 bond issue election.

Reach Eric Swanson at (620) 408-9917 or e-mail him at eric.swanson@dodgeglobe.com.