§896. DeSoto Parish School Board; exchange of unused school lands with the town of Logansport

A. Whenever the DeSoto Parish School Board determines that a parcel of its property found in the town of Logansport, situated in DeSoto Parish, is no longer needed for school purposes and that the best interest of the public school system would be served by the exchange of such land for other public land, the board may exchange such land for other land owned by the town of Logansport.

B. The DeSoto Parish School Board shall hold a public hearing to receive public comment concerning the exchange of such lands. Prior to the public hearing, the board shall obtain an appraisal from a certified appraiser of the lands being considered for exchange and such appraisals shall be available for public inspection at the hearing.

C. The school board shall provide notice of the public hearing and notice of its intent to consider the exchange of land as well as a brief description of both parcels of land by advertisement in the official journal of the parish in which the land is situated on at least two separate days at least thirty days prior to the date on which the hearing is to be held.

D. After such hearing and after giving due consideration to any public comment, the board may, at a regularly scheduled meeting, vote to authorize the advertised exchange, provided that the board determines that the exchange is for a valid purpose in the best interest of the school board. The president of the board shall proceed with the exchange of the lands in accordance with the law and upon authorization of the board.

E. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the governing authority for the town of Logansport is authorized to exchange the property described in Subsection A of this Section by complying with the procedures set forth in this Section, except that notice of the public hearing shall be published on at least two separate days at least thirty days prior to the date on which the hearing is to be held in a newspaper published in the town, or if there is no such newspaper, in a newspaper having a general circulation in the town.

F. The powers and rights conferred by this Section shall be in addition to the powers and rights conferred by any other general or special law. The provisions of this Section shall be liberally construed for the accomplishment of its purposes.

Acts 1993, No. 471, §1.