The Marshall Public Schools Board of Education will exercise its right of first refusal and purchase a property adjacent to the Tom Butterfield Early Childhood Center.

The board voted at its monthly meeting Tuesday, Nov. 12 to purchase the home at 1304 East Route WW. Superintendent Caleb Petet says the purchase is in the interest of maintaining student safety.

Petet says the building trades class at the Saline County Career Center will renovate the house. However, Petet notes that the district doesn’t intend to hold onto the property.

The purchase price is $185,000 plus closing costs.

Also at Tuesday night’s meeting, the board accepted the recommended bid from ArmorVu of Fayetteville, Ark. for the installation of 16-mil security film on the district’s windows and defense line glazing for the district’s entryways.

The installation will total $492,420.

The board also approved a one-year extension for Best Life Properties to complete their conversion of the former Southeast Elementary building into apartments, and accepted the low bid of $33,552 from Haynes Excavating of Gilliam for grounds work at the district’s Northeast Campus, formerly the Marshall Habilitation Center.