County cyberattack halted closing
By Bert Lehman
The sale of the former Rexford Longfellow Elementary School property has not closed yet, due to a delay caused by the cyberattack against the Waupaca County computer system.
Superintendent Troy Kuhn provided an update regarding the sale of the property during the Clintonville School Board’s July 22 meeting.
Kuhn said it has been weeks since the district received all of the $350,000 for the sale of the former Rexford Longfellow Elementary School property. The closing process for the sale of the property was started in early June. Then, Kuhn said, the process “came to a screeching halt due to not being able to access all of the deeds at Waupaca County.”
School Board President Ben Huber said the Waupaca County computer system was impacted by a cyberattack, that is still causing problems with the county’s computer system.
Kuhn said he has been on the phone everyday with Bay Title, adding that they finally have all of the deeds for the property pulled. The final contract is being finalized.
“Our lawyers have reviewed everything, done the appropriate stuff,” Kuhn said. “We are literally waiting for the date of the signatures.”
He added that residents have been contacting the district, asking why school employees are still mowing the lawn at the property.
“This is the public answer. Because we were supposed to close in June, and then it came to a halt because of unforeseen circumstances,” Kuhn said. “But the positive is we have all the money, we just need to do the meeting date for the signatures.”
Board member Glen Drew Lundt asked how much the delay has cost the district financially.
Kuhn said he’d have to figure out utility bills and similar bills to come up with an exact number.
“The problem is, this is not the buyer’s problem, this is not the seller’s problem, it’s a county problem,” Huber said.
Lundt said he didn’t think it’s fair for the district’s taxpayers to keep paying for things for that property.
“We had an option that it could have been done,” Lundt said. “And why this paperwork wasn’t done ahead of time, and now, it’s like on and on and on.”
Also relating to the property, Kuhn told the board that quite a few public entities have contacted him about leasing out space in the former Rexford Longfellow Elementary School buildings. Since the district will no longer own the property, Kuhn said he will forward that information to the new owner of the property.