Jefferson City Public Schools continues effort to buy property damaged by tornado

Jefferson City Public Schools is making progress in its effort to buy property damaged by the May 22 tornado.

The district sent letters to 50 homeowners near Jefferson City High School and about half of those homeowners have communicated interest in selling their property to the district, said JCPS spokesperson Ryan Burns.

Jefferson City High School is landlocked and Burns said purchasing the land gives the district the option to expand the high school’s activities fields or facilities.

” We continue having discussions with area homeowners, which have been very positive overall,” Burns said.

Homeowner Cara Page signed a contract to sell her house to JCPS on Monday.

“It’s a fair deal, and they are very generous with the amount of time they are giving me to move out,” Page said.

She had lived in her home for only seven weeks before it was damaged by the tornado.

“It is sad to think of all the work I did on this place, and now it is going to be leveled,” she said. “It’s kind of bittersweet.”

Page said many of her neighbors have left the area and felt it was time to move.

“It’s just kinda hard,” she said. “It was my first home by myself but there will be another.”