Traverse City Area Public Schools (TCAPS) board members voted Monday to use a public request-for-proposals (RFP) process to solicit bids on the district's vacant Thirteenth Street property - as well as several other tracts of TCAPS land.

A $700,000 purchase offer from Socks Construction for nearly 1.8 acres of property on the corner of Thirteenth and Wadsworth streets prompted board members' discussion Monday. Board member Jan Geht suggested the district use a RFP process to gauge potential buyers' interest in not only the Thirteenth Street parcel, but several other "obsolete" properties owned by TCAPS. Those sites include 80 acres on Cedar Run Road, 40 acres on Church Road and a large parcel on Potter Road.

"I think that the only way a discussion about a long-term (property) plan makes sense for the school system is with an understanding of what the market will pay for which properties, so that we can make the optimal decision as to which properties to sell," said Geht. "I want to monetize one or more of those parcels to help us push (up) our fund balance."

Board members approved a motion to solicit RFP bids for all TCAPS obsolete properties, with a 60-day bid deadline. Bids must include information on the intended use for the property. TCAPS staff will report back to board members after the 60-day period with a summary of options for disposing of properties.

TCAPS board members Monday also voted to eliminate the International Baccalaureate (IB) program at Traverse Heights Elementary effective this month, and approved contracts for several district capital projects. Those include over $202,000 for interior renovations and over $171,000 in asbestos abatement and lead paint remediation this summer at Central Grade School, plus more than $109,000 for the demolition of Eastern Elementary School.