Indian Creek Township officials will decide the disposition of the Fayetteville Elementary School building

FAYETTEVILLE – Indian Creek Township officials will meet Tuesday, March 16, 2021, at 7:00 p.m. at the Indian Creek Volunteer fire station to vote on the disposition of Fayetteville Elementary School.

By Indiana State law the Fayetteville Elementary School must be offered back to the Indian Creek Township after the North Lawrence Community Schools decided they no longer wanted to use the building.

The North Lawrence Community School board voted to consolidate four elementary schools within the corporation which closed both Fayetteville Elementary and Springville Elementary Schools on Lawrence County’s westside.

The vote will decide whether Indian Creek Township will get the property back, or if North Lawrence Community Schools will continue to own the building. If the latter is voted, then NLCS would have the right to sell or convey the property to another entity.

It is unclear at this time if Indian Creek Township trustee, Gary Scherchel’s personal connection with NLCS could possibly pose a conflict of interest regarding the vote process and its outcome Tuesday night. Scherschel drives a school bus for NLCS and other immediate family is employed by NLCS as well. WBIW made attempts to connect with Indian Creek Township Trustee Gary Scherschel, seeking a media interview, however, Scherschel has yet to respond.

Lawrence County Independent Schools was formed following the consolidation of North Lawrence Community Schools and approached both Indian Creek Township and Perry Township on acquiring the schools to be used as a school facility.

Perry Township Trustee, Bob Phillips, and the advisory board voted to support the Lawrence County Independent Schools in acquiring the Springville building for LCIS.

Once the Perry Township officials receive the property they will quitclaim the deed over to LCIS school officials. This will allow them to have full control and use of the building and legal obligations are removed from the township.

At this time the Perry Township officials are waiting on the final debt of both Fayetteville and Springville to be moved to the Oolitic School Gym property. Once the bank has completed the final paperwork, the deed for the property Springville Elementary School sits on, will be transferred back to Perry Township.

This process will be easier for Indian Creek Township because all the leg work in transferring the property has already been completed. It will just be the township’s decision to acquire the facility.

Indian Creek Township could also decide to acquire the building for its own purposes and use it for another use other than an education facility.

LCIS has held a public meeting in both Perry Township and Indian Creek Township to communicate their plans for the use of both of the facilities.

Taxpayers in Indian Creek, and Spice Valley Township have been interested in the final fate of Fayetteville Elementary School, some wanting the schools to remain within their area.

At this time LCIS will be offering K- 8 education to students in Lawrence County.