District 112 has taken the first steps of planning another elementary school in Chaska.

The School Board approved moving forward with purchasing land, located east of Highway 212 and north of Chaska Boulevard, on Feb. 27.

The district and the city of Chaska had discussed acquisition of land in the area for a future school and community park. The Chaska City Council approved a purchase agreement for nearly 34 acres of land at about $2.5 million for a new elementary school and park in early February.

District 112 will buy 3.2 acres of land from the city for $263,277.65. The School Board’s approval authorizes Superintendent Jim Bauck, Associate Superintendent Clint Christopher or DeeDee Kahring, director of finance and operations, to execute the purchasing documents on behalf of the district.

“Both the city and the district have made a preliminary determination that a joint elementary school/community park provides benefits to both,” according to School Board documents.

The Chaska City Council has also approved buying an additional 32.5 acres of land in the area in 2019. The city is purchasing each acre for $82,500 from the Holasek family through Holasek Land Management. About six acres is owned by the family under the name Scooter Enterprises. The payment will be about the same for the 2019 purchase, but will be increased with inflation.

According to the district, the city is also seeking to purchase an additional 2.88 acres for a school, but the city did not have a purchase agreement as of Feb. 27.

DOME BID

The School Board approved a bid for nearly $1.9 million for earth work on the new dome facility to Peterson Companies, Inc. Other bids for the dome totaling nearly $5 million were approved on Feb. 13, however the plans for the scope of the earth work were still under development at that time.

Construction of the dome is slated to start in late March or early April of 2017 with completion expected in November 2017.

The dome and land for a future elementary school were among several projects being funded through a $66.7 million bond referendum that was approved by voters in 2015. (Voters would still need to approve a future referendum to pay for the elementary school building.)

The school district is currently building Carver Elementary School, to open in fall 2017.