Lots of discussion--but not much progress--on school district's desire to buy the downtown softball field property

Decorah Community School District representatives want to know whether the city's softball diamond property off Claiborne Drive might be for sale.

Decorah School Superintendent Mike Haluska and Decorah School Board president Ron Fadness met Monday night with four members of the Decorah City Council to discuss the property, which Fadness calls "by far the best site (for a new elementary school)."

But if the City of Decorah sells the ball diamond property, it would want to build new ball diamonds elsewhere--and that might be just as much of a problem as finding a site for a new elementary school.  City officials say they've gotten estimates that a new baseball and softball diamond could cost over one million dollars.

City council member Kirk Johnson said selling the softball diamond property would mean the city would inherit the school district's problem of finding enough property for what it wants to do.  City council member Chuck Lore agreed, saying, "We'd still have the same problem you do."

But Fadness told city officials the clock is ticking for the school district to do something about having enough space when the North Winneshiek School District begins sending all of its students to Decorah.  Fadness says the school district needs an answer to the simple question--"Is this (property) an option or not?"