first on decorahnews.com: Aase Haugen Properties offers 20 acres of land to the Decorah School District as the site of a new elementary school

Vennehjem is outlined in red. Other property owned by Aase Haugen Properties is outlined in blue.

Aase Haugen Properties, which owns almost 90 acres as part of the Vennehjem project, has offered 20 acres of its property to the Decorah Community School District as the site of a new elementary school.

Sources confirm that representatives from both organizations met recently, at which time Aase Haugen officials made the proposal to school district representatives.  While Aase Haugen has been studying expansion plans for its facilities, they feel there is plenty of land available for both that expansion and a new elementary school. 

The offer was made to the school district as a way for the district to resolve the current impasse over the siting of an elementary school.  However, sources tell decorahnews.com that school district representatives said they are still concentrating on making possible a new elementary school on city-owned softball diamond property near the current John Cline School.  That location is still the number one preference of school officials, who want a new elementary school to be built downtown and near other school buildings.  They also believe the Aase Haugen property would have traffic issues.

Negotiations between the Decorah Community School District and the City of Decorah about the softball diamond property are continuing, but have not yet reached an agreement.  City representatives have offered the school district another option for a location of tennis courts, if that becomes necessary.  Sources tell decorahnews.com that school district representatives have also met with City of Decorah representatives and the city has made an offer to allow the school district to build tennis courts on the north end of the Army Reserve property—if the property reverts to the city after setting empty for one year.  City representatives have made the offer as a way for the school to get built without having the city lose the softball diamond property, but school district officials say it would be better to use both the softball diamond and tennis courts for a new elementary school.

At this point there is no official proposal on the table between the city and the school district and the official proposal from Aase Haugen Properties is on hold while school district officials seek to reach an agreement with city representatives.