Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – The Springfield Public Schools board may vote Feb. 17 whether to sell land the district owns south and east of Vachel Lindsay School.

Business manager Steve Miller told the board a farmer who has been leasing the land is interested in renewing the lease at $14,000 per year. “There has been talk in the past couple of years that we would put the property up for sale and try to sell that to incur some revenue — one-time revenue — but some revenue into our fund balance,” said Miller.

Miller said the property could fetch as much as $755,000 as farmland and up to $6.3 million for homes. Miller said an outside law firm recommends holding onto the land for now, as it’s easier to sell land than to buy it. “That’s most evident with trying to build the south side school right now,” said Miller. “Just finding the land to build that school has been a problem.”

“I do support the lease this year,” said board member Micah Miller, but “it’s been thirty years. This lease is just kicking the can each year, especially at a time when we are looking to get creative with funding.”