Following the rejection of two separate groups of sealed bids, an idea that began as research into the possibility of donating the former Providence Independent School District gymnasium to the city of Providence has ended with a decision to auction off all of the unwanted property the Webster County Board of Education inherited when the two school districts merged three years ago.

Twice, the Webster County Board of Education authorized Webster County School District Superintendent James Kemp to advertise the former Providence High School and several surrounding buildings on the lot — including the so-called Doghouse gymnasium, which the city of Providence has expressed interest in acquiring. However, in both instances, the board rejected all bids. At the board’s last regular meeting, a motion to bid the entire property, along with a house lot the school board had previously sold but which the potential buyers later backed out of, failed to garner enough votes.

At the school board’s meeting in Dixon Monday night, members spent more than 30 minutes in closed session discussing what to do with the property. Upon returning to open session, board member E Carolyn Tucker made a motion authorizing Kemp to follow “guidelines” the board set in closed session. Board Chairman James Nance then asked Webster County Board of Education Attorney Amelia Zachary to explain the guidelines.

As Zachary explained, the “guidelines” include a directive for Kemp to contact local auctioneers to get proposals from them on auctioning the property. The entire lot, including the house on Barbour Street, will be auctioned off, with a minimum starting bid of $10,000. The city of Providence previously bid $10,000 for the gymnasium and surrounding structures. Providence Mayor Eddie Gooch has said the city doesn’t want the former high school building, which many officials expect will have to be demolished soon due to its age and condition.

However, the city of Providence wasn’t the highest bidder, and some school board members have expressed disappointment in the overall bid amounts, suggesting that they were too low to accept.

As a stipulation of the auction, the board will retain use of the facilities on the property through the end of the current school year.

Board member Sandi Jackson cast the lone vote of opposition against the motion. Jackson said afterward that she would have preferred the district conduct another sealed bid.

“I didn’t think it should have been auctioned,” Jackson said. “I’d like to see the gym be given back to the city.”

(Previously, administrators have said Kentucky Dept. of Education officials won’t allow the property to be donated to the city.)

No date was set for the auction, although Kemp said he hopes it can be held within the next couple of months.