BID ACCEPTED — On Monday, the Brooke County Board of Education accepted a bid for the former Wellsburg Middle School from Ed and Beth Hinebaugh of Wheeling, a couple who own a daycare center and party rental place in Wheeling as well as about 50 single-family homes. -- Warren Scott

WELLSBURG — The former Wellsburg Middle School has new owners, with the Brooke County school board’s acceptance of a bid of $225,000 for the three-story building and about 70,828 square feet of property on which it sits.

The bid was submitted by Ed and Beth Hinebaugh, a Wheeling couple who said their intention is to use the property for a business involving children.

The pair owns Noah’s Ark Childcare and the Fulton Fun Factory, which offers indoor bounce houses and other activities for youth and rental space for parties, as well as 50 single-family homes in the Wheeling area.

A graduate of Brooke High School, Beth Cawthon Hinebaugh said she had attended the former middle school and her father was a student there when it was a high school.

Plans had called for the school to be closed when its student body was merged with students of Follansbee Middle School with the opening of Brooke Middle School in 2018.

But it gained a new lease on life when the school district’s alternative learning center moved into the building.

It also has become home to the Wellsburg Police Department and the Brooke County Family Resource Center, an organization that provides educational programs for local families.

Superintendent of Schools Jeff Crook said with the cooperation of the Hinebaughs, the alternative learning center isn’t expected to move until after the current school year.

In anticipation of a sale in August, the board had advertised for renovations at the high school to accommodate the center.

In response, the board received bids for various aspects of $113,750 from Lombardi Development Co., $25,200 Crook said Wellsburg Police and the family resource center were advised of the pending sale and their continued presence will depend on the Hinebaughs’ plans.

Before unanimously accepting the bid, the minimum set for the property and the only one received at the Nov. 20 auction, the board heard from another interested party.

Michael Robinson, who identified himself as representative of a substance abuse treatment center, asked the board to consider a higher offer and a donation for it.

Robinson, who didn’t disclose the business’ name, said such a facility would help to reduce local cases of drug addiction and bring many jobs to Wellsburg.

Board President Ted Pauls told Robinson the board can’t negotiate collectively, that it may only consider the recommendation put before it.

Crook told Robinson the auction was conducted as prescribed by law and one bid was received.

He noted an auction had been held for the property on Aug. 4 after interested had been expressed in it, and no bids were received.

“I got burned on it once,” said Crook.

Prior to their vote, the board’s members met in executive session to discuss the bid, proposed legal action and a personnel matter.

While they were in executive session, Robinson was asked why he didn’t attend the auction.

He said the website of a local newspaper advertised the auction’s date as Aug. 23, though it was later changed to Aug. 20.

Robinson said he’d approached school officials previously about his interest in the property.

The proposed legal action presented to the board involved joining a class action lawsuit in which school districts throughout the U.S. are alleging social media outlets have had an addictive, detrimental impact on youth.

The board tabled the matter for more information, which Crook is expected to provided at its Nov. 17 meeting.

In other business, the board:

• Accepted a bid of $6,415 from Famous Supply for an electric water heater for Brooke High School.

• Accepted a bid of about $9,640 for the installation of a trench drain to divert runoff from the rubber surface of Franklin Intermediate School’s new playground and related landscaping.

• Approved the creation of a lacrosse club at the high school and posting for an adviser for the group.