City committee recommends not selling softball diamond property to Decorah School District

The Decorah School District's effort to build a new elementary school has hit a roadblock.  Members of the City of Decorah's Property Committee voted Friday morning to recommend to the full city council that the softball diamond property on Heivly and Claiborne not be sold to the school district as the site of a new school.

Committee members said the public had urged them not to give up the softball diamond.  Randy Schissel said he had received no phone calls in support of the sale, while Gary Rustad said people have told him "don't do it."  Dan Bellrichard said he sees the need for a new school building, but there's been little support for using the softball diamond as the site.  Added Bellrichard, "I really don't want to sell this property."

Committee chair Steve Luse concluded, "The answer to the school board is 'no,'" and said the Property Committee's recommendation would become the basis of the Decorah City Council's discussion of the matter at its meeting Monday night.  However, with the four members of the Property Committee favoring not selling the property, there is already a majority of the seven-member city council opposing the sale.