SBC Votes to Buy Building for Snowy Range Academy

The State Building Commission voted Tuesday to spend up to $4 million to purchase a building in Laramie for the Snowy Range Academy.  The members of the commission who voted in favor of the purchase were Gov. Matt Mead, Secretary of State Max Maxfield and Treasurer Mark Gordon. Auditor Cynthia Cloud was excused.  Voting against the proposal was Superintendent of Public Instruction Cindy Hill.

The Snowy Range Academy is currently housed in leased space in the former Laramie Walmart, which the state now wants to buy. The Wyoming Legislature allocated $4 million in the state capital construction budget earlier this year to purchase the building.

Hill said there is no question that students at the school are thriving. But she again raised the issue of the October executive session and suggested the school had been given an advantage because of the presence of an academy representative during the closed session.

Marguerita Rovani, founder and current operating manager for the Snowy Range Academy, said she is very pleased with the state's decision. She said the action will allow the academy to have a permanant home.