By Rebecca Burk / L’Observateur / April 20, 1998

LUTCHER – The St. James Parish School board is about to spend $143,500to buy the land that Lutcher Junior High was built on over 40 years ago.

It’s a reasonable price, according to Thomas Kliebert, school board attorney.

The board voted 7-0 Tuesday to authorize Kliebert to purchase the land.

Kliebert said the board got two appraisals before making an offer for the land. One appraisal was $112,000 and one was $175,000, so the board justsplit the difference of the two appraisals, Kliebert said.

“I think they were pleased with the offer,” he added.

The land is currently owned by several members of the Reynaud family, who have owned the land for several generations.

Over 40 years ago the family leased a 10.3-acre plot to the St. JamesSchool System for the construction of a new school, and unbeknownst to anyone the lease ended a little over two years ago.

“They said the lease was up and to either buy it or get off the land,” Kliebert said.

The $143,500 settlement includes the money the board would have paid to the family for a lease over the last two years they weren’t paying.

The only formality now is a 60-day waiting period, Kliebert said.

Along with system administrators and board members, Kliebert is glad the business was handled with cooperation.

“There could have been an issue as to who owned the buildings,” he said.

“It’s good we came to a conclusion.”

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