The Marshall Public Schools Board of Education took the next step in moving more grades to the Northeast campus, declaring three elementary school buildings as surplus.

At Tuesday night’s meeting, the board agreed to a resolution declaring Benton, Eastwood, and Northwest schools as surplus, ahead of classes at those three buildings relocating to the new intermediate school set to open in August. Supt. Caleb Petet says that opens the door to fielding public comment at forums scheduled for Benton School on Jan. 15 and Northwest School on Jan. 16.

The surplus declaration also allows the district to hire a real estate agent should the board decide to sell or lease the two schools. Meanwhile, an agreement signed last summer will see the site of the Eastwood School transferred to the City of Marshall.

Also at Tuesday night’s meeting, the board approved the relocation of playground equipment from the Tom Butterfield Early Childhood Center to Spainhower Primary School, and the purchase of new equipment for Butterfield and the new intermediate school. The board also approved a transfer of $1,066,856 from the general fund to the capital projects fund, and approved the establishment of a student services director and a second crossing guard for the Northeast campus.