Hartley, Iowa — After a public hearing on Wednesday night, the Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn Community School Board voted to sell the former Hartley Elementary building in Hartley to a Johnston-based investments company.
The vote was four to one, with Board Member Ryan Haack voting no.
We had a chance to talk to Brenda Collier, who represents the non-profit arm of the umbrella company that is buying the building for a nominal price, Hestia Investments.
Collier says the plan had also included a daycare overflow area where they had planned to take care of kids who were on any daycare waiting lists in the community, but they found out that there is limited to no need for this service at this time.
She tells us a little more about “Moving Mountains.”
Collier says they hope to team up with community members in fields such as automotive, auto body work, agriculture, marketing, and so forth.
She says Moving Mountains will also be providing other services, one of which will be transportation for people who have no car and/or no driver’s license to get to jobs in the area.
She says the main purpose of the entire venture is the Moving Mountains nonprofit.
A new roof will be the first matter of priority, as it needs immediate replacement before the winter. She says they will then be remodeling the entire building and hope to be done by spring.
