The Eugene 4J School board has voted to sell a downtown office building it recently bought for its new district headquarters.
The district purchased the Wells Fargo building in February for about $2.9 million. It needed between $12 and $13.5 million in renovations.
School board members changed course Wednesday night and voted unanimously to sell the building after a recent revenue forecast showed tough financial times ahead.
School Board Member Judy Newman said the district will re-allocate the planned renovation funds to pay for staff, and student services.
"The reality of our times - it's in preserving what we have to the best degree and keeping the focus in the classroom," she said.
The district said selling the building will help it avoid the layoff other districts in the state are facing.
The school board bought the building from an unknown third party for $2.9 million. Its real market value was $10.8 million dollars.
School Board Member Morgan Munro - who strongly supported the initial purchase - said the district will likely not find a better deal on a new headquarters. Despite that - she said she still supported the sale.
"I have a hard time sticking with a building purchase that I would in a different world be thrilled to get to stick with,” she said. “But doing that instead of keeping staff, or doing that instead of supporting students, just doesn't feel like the right choice."
She said 4J will likely join other districts around the state asking lawmakers to increase funding for public schools.
