There is one agenda item for the Geary USD 475 Board of Education when they meet in a public special session at 5 p.m. Monday at the Devin Center.  The Board will consider acquisition of land for a new Junction City High School.

The Chief Operations Officer for the school district, David Wild, will present the pros and cons for each of the four parcels of land under consideration. Troy Hertel, Vice President at Schaefer Johnson Cox and Frey, Leon Osbourn, President of Kaw Valley Engineering and Bill Wilson, a local appraiser, have been asked to be present to answer any questions.

The Board could make a motion on the specific parcel of land to purchase for the new high school, but that would be up to the BOE at their meeting on Monday.

According to agenda support information released on the school district’s website the four areas considered as a potential option for the location of a new school include:

–The Gfellar site,  which is bounded on the north by Rucker Road. There could be access to this location by way of US 77 and Rucker Road or by K-18 and Munson Road

–The Horizon site, which has Strauss Boulevard running through it and on the south end the property runs near I-70. There would be access from US 77 or Lacy Drive to Spring Valley Road to Strauss Boulevard

–The North Munson site which is across K-18 northwest of the current City Middle School. There would be access to a new high school at that location via K-18.

–The South Munson site which is south of K-18 and west of the City Middle School. There would be access from K-18.

For both the North and South Munson sites one of the site access considerations would involve discussions about a roundabout at K-18 at Karns Road. For the South Munson location another consideration would be to extend Karns Road to the south.

All four of the potential locations would have numerous other considerations to be reviewed including site utilities, proximity, drainage / flood plain, grading, topography, visibility and site limitations.

Voters approved a bond issue for the new high school on November 7th. The entire project would be funded through a combination of state aid and federal heavy impact aid received by USD 475. District officials have made it clear there would be no increase in the local property tax levy.