By CALEB FREY

Staff Reporter 

RESERVE – The possible purchase of the old Second Ward High School in Edgard was the focal point of discussion at the St. John the Baptist School Board meeting Thursday.

Neil Bernard, pastor of the New Wine Christian Fellowship on Airline Hwy, presented a proposal to purchase the abandoned high school at the fair market value of $76,000, the last appraisal value of the property. 

After renovations, the property would be used as a recreational facility to provide summer camps, youth retreats, and other recreational and faith-based activities for the youths of St. John, according to Bernard.

&#8220The property is being purchased to host the 2nd annual St. John Parish Youth Challenge Summer camp, as well as other recreational activities,” Bernard said. &#8220The property will not be used to house or rehabilitate drug and alcohol offenders.”

Bernard met with several West Bank residents of St. John on Monday to discuss the purchase of the property for recreational use and the proposal was met with open arms by all in attendance including Assistant School Board Superintendent Herbert Smith and School Board Member Russell Jack.

Although the property was appraised about two years ago, the School Board passed a motion to have the high school appraised again before any purchase can be made. The appraisal should be done within the next 30 days, according to School Board Attorney Lloyd Leblanc.  This would leave the property open for sealed bids from any group to purchase, not just New Wine, which raised concerns for Board Member Matthew Ory.

&#8220If it’s open for sealed bids to any group, it can be a group with opposite type intentions that I wouldn’t be comfortable selling property of the school board,” Ory said.

Leblanc pointed out that the school board reserves the right to reject any and all bids in the case that a bid is made on the property by an entity that would not use the property as the school board deemed fit for the community.

Bernard is confident if he can attain the property in the next 45 days they can do the renovations in time for the Youth Challenge Summer Camp which was held in the old K-Mart building last year, a building now occupied by the Salvation Army.

Superintendent Michael Coburn is all for the idea of New Wine renovating the property.

&#8220We don’t feel we could ever utilize that site again, and if he and his group and organizations can utilize its best interests to serve our kids through recreational facilities and counseling services, I think it’s super,” Coburn said.

A resolution regarding educational use of the St. John Baptist Parish Community Center was removed from the agenda and should be discussed at the next meeting on Tuesday, April 4.