The Weyburn Public and Comprehensive School Boards plan to borrow $600,000 to purchase the former EnCana building in the industrial sector of Weyburn.

The building is located at 80A 18 St. N.E.

The board announced last month at a regular meeting that EnCana had accepted its offer to purchase the building. No dollar amount was released at the time.

Administration offices for the two boards have been located in part of the EnCana building since last year but the EnCana portion of the building is empty as of last week. On Friday, EnCana completely moved its operations out of the building and into its production facility south of Weyburn.

The board provides services for almost 1,500 students from kindergarten to Grade 12.

Members of the public have just over two weeks, until March 17, to submit a notice of objection to the borrowing bylaw to the board. The board has advertised its intentions to borrow, as required by provincial legislation. A public meeting has been scheduled for March 17, at which time the board will hear submissions for and against the bylaw. The meeting is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. at the board offices.

Board secretary treasurer Gordon Young said the board does not anticipate an increase in local school taxes to pay for the building.

Board members also don't foresee any problems from the public with the purchase. "It's just a formality to advertise," Young said Monday. The board has an agreement for sale already written, he said.

But if submissions opposing the purchase do surface before March 17, they would be sent to the Saskatchewan Municipal Board, which has the authority to demand a plebiscite be held before the sale goes ahead, he said.

In future, the board plans to subdivide the yard which accompanies the building, and sell it. It also intends to lease out part of the building to help pay for the purchase.

"We didn't need the yard but EnCana wanted to sell the whole package as one parcel," said Young. He said administration has already received inquiries about leasing part of the building.

The board has been debt-free since the last debenture was paid on the Assiniboia Park Elementary School in 1998, until this spring when it borrowed $271,000 for three new buses.