Board approves interlocal agreement with Town of Minden for adjacent parcel; district office sale deferred

The Douglas County School District board on Tuesday unanimously authorized staff to negotiate an interlocal agreement with the Town of Minden for the vacant parcel adjacent to the Mono Avenue district office, often used as a dog park. Trustee Zinci made the motion, Miss Jansen seconded it, and the board voted in favor.

Superintendent Alvarado told trustees the board has two appraisals for the site and the larger district-office parcel — a local appraiser at about $1.5 million and a state appraiser at about $1.7 million — and explained the town, as a public entity, can only pay appraised value. He recommended pursuing the dog‑park transfer while retaining the district office, noting local market conversations had suggested a higher neighborhood valuation but that the appraisers are the official source.

Why it matters: the decision moves a frequently discussed parcel toward local public stewardship while keeping the larger, historically valued district-office building on the district’s horizon for future disposition or reuse. The board explicitly deferred any final sale of the district office building and asked staff to return with a formal presentation of viable relocation options for the district office (examples discussed included a Pawaloo pod, vacant classrooms at CBMS, or the heritage museum building).

Town Manager JD Frisbee addressed the board in support of the town acquiring the parcel and building. “We do feel like we would be wonderful stewards … we were planning on purchasing it,” he said, describing plans to invest in needed repairs and restore the building for civic use. Public commenter Adrien Sawyer urged the board to either keep the district office or sell it to the Town of Minden and supported transfer of the dog‑park parcel for liability and stewardship reasons.

What the vote does and doesn’t do: the board’s action authorizes staff to negotiate the interlocal agreement; final terms and any legally binding interlocal agreement must return to the board for approval. Trustees also sought clarity about where sale proceeds would be placed; staff and counsel said proceeds would be placed in the Building and Sites fund consistent with Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS).

Next steps: district staff will negotiate terms and direct legal counsel to draft an interlocal agreement for board review. Trustees requested a future informational presentation enumerating viable district-office relocation options and the implications of each before considering any sale of the district office building.