The Wolford school board voted at their regular monthly meeting Tuesday evening to advertise for public bids for the school building and land.

The board met by conference call with Quinn Fylling, an attorney with the firm Pearce Durick in Bismarck to discuss the sale and bidding process.

The board will advertise the “as is” sale in the Pierce County Tribune and Turtle Mountain Star newspapers. Bidding will close Friday, Dec. 13, before the board’s monthly regular meeting scheduled for Monday, Dec. 16.

The board approved the decision to advertise for bids with a unanimous vote.

Sale of property remaining in the building, such as kitchen supplies and other fixtures would be negotiated separately.

In other business, Wolford School Superintendent Larry Zavada updated the board on the condition of the building and asked about winterizing the plumbing and heating systems.

The board voted not to hire a contractor to winterize the systems, but regular maintenance on the building would continue along with plans to shut down electric heating to the older section of the school. Zavada said he placed fans in the gym to dry up water that had seeped in, and the science and social studies classrooms no longer had water coming in due to drier, warmer weather.

Zavada reported a local Eagles chapter and the Rolette Wildlife Club had expressed interest in buying supplies, pots and pans from the school’s kitchen.

The board also listened to a report from Business Manager Wanita Olson, who noted the district’s general fund balance as of October sat at $49,390.06. Olson reported monthly revenue as $1407.58, which she said was “mostly from property taxes.”

Olson also reported receiving a check from Pierce County for $4,897.08 from tax revenues Tuesday.

“Expenditures were $8474.76; that includes $2,000 for fuel and propane,” Olson noted.

Olson told the board the district’s special reserve fund had a balance of $49,558.52, and the building fund balance was $4,805.63. She reported the ending balance of the activity fund had been transferred to the general fund, and the financial report would only include three accounts going forward.

Olson reported one unemployment claim, and a $2,000 payment to Job Service North Dakota would come from the district’s reserve fund, which was set up by the agency. More information about the unemployment fund would be included in the district’s next quarterly report.

Olson put total expenditure projections as of Oct. 31 for the district at $269,644.35. Revenue was projected at $417,595.31, and cash on hand was $104,947.49.

Olson also mentioned several other names the Wolford School District #1 has had in the past, and the board agreed to make sure the names were included in official transactions such as the building’s sale.

Zavada reported a dissolution committee for Pierce County would meet Dec. 2 to discuss issues pertaining to Wolford School.

“If people have comments or suggestions, this is their time to be there,” Zavada told the board.

“There’s a lot more to closing down a school and selling the building than anyone realizes,” Zavada said before the board adjourned.