GEIC approaches GISD board for property sale

The Graham Economic Improvement Corporation approached the Graham ISD school board Wednesday regarding the sale of a property owned by the district near the baseball/softball fields for a potential future project.

The GEIC collects $0.25 of the city’s sales taxes for economic development and $0.25 of sales tax for ad valorem tax reduction, according to the Graham Chamber of Commerce website. The corporation is run by a board which is appointed by the city council. GEIC Board President, Jack Graham, spoke to the GISD board during the open forum for public comments Wednesday.

“I came today to talk to you about something that y’all are going to discuss, I think more in the executive session later, which is the potential sale of a piece of property that the school board has owned for 17 years out by the baseball fields,” Graham said.

The property is listed with the Young Central Appraisal District as Block 8 Graham East 2693 TE&L and was obtained by the district in March 2003. The land is 7.87 acres and is valued at $43,310, according to information from YCAD.

“We have been contacted by businesses that would like to put a sorely needed business in town, which is a new convenience store/gas station that can handle trailers and things like that, we don’t have,” Graham said. “In fact, I don’t think we have built a new gas station since I have been back and that has been 16 years. It would provide jobs, it would put that property back on the tax rolls, which would benefit not just the school, but the city, the county, the hospital, the college, all of the taxing entities.”

“The board is moving to table the issue and directing the superintendent to continue discussions with Jack Graham and GEIC,” GISD Superintendent Sonny Cruse said.

For the full story, see the Saturday, Feb. 15 edition of The Graham Leader.