The Bismarck School Board on Monday evening accepted the negotiated agreement between the school board and the Bismarck Education Association. The motion passed 3-0. Board members Paul Govig and Aruna Seth were not present.

Marcia Olson, a board member, thanked the negotiation teams from both parties for their work and for being able to resolve the two-year teacher contract quickly.

The agreement includes a compensation increase of 4.5 percent the first year and 5 percent the second year. Three items dropped from BEA's proposal included payment for North Dakota Education Association conference registration, a stipend for the National Certified School Counselor Certification and personal leave increases.

After approving two sale agreements, the board will add more than $450,000 in revenue to its general fund budget.

The district has an agreement to sell two lots, located at 1227 and 1231 Park Ave., for $400,000 to Team Torque Inc. The company has deposited $5,000 for the purchase.

Even though the district is going to sell the two lots, it has an agreement to lease one of the lots for two years. The lease will cost $40,500 each year.

Paul Johnson, district superintendent, called the sale a win-win situation. The plan was always to sell those lots because they are better suited for commercial use than educational use, he said. The sale closing date is expected to be Aug. 15.

The school district used one of the lots for storage and the other to house students and teachers in the Beginning Early Childhood Education Program. The majority of BECEP is in the Richholt building. With the money from the sale of the lots and future grant money, the district plans to renovate or add space to the Richholt building. This will allow the entire program to be under one roof.

School board members also accepted the sale of the tech-ed house.

Two bids were opened June 7 for the house built by the trades class at the Career and Technical Education Center. The minimum bid required to cover building costs was $46,500.

The board sold the house for $52,500.

Funds from the sale will go back into the general fund and the money will be used for housing projects next year.

(Reach reporter Kayla Cogdill at 250-8251 or kaylacogdill@bismarcktribune.net.)