The Dawson County Board of Education voted 4-0 on Monday to buy 3 acres on Allen Street near the system’s administration building.

The deal to acquire the 257 Allen St. property totaled $90,000, with the money coming from the current 1-cent sales tax for education.

Superintendent Keith Porter said the land would be “of great value” to expand the middle school campus, as well as future sales tax projects.

Porter said the middle school’s campus currently includes Lanier Tech and Hightower Academy students, “so the room for expansion is much needed.”

“With the land the school system already owns, this property provides us much better access to the back side of the campus, as well as continuous access from Allen Street to the Robinson Elementary School property.”

The property, which has one house on it, is next to the new Hightower Academy facility and near the school administration building.

Because it involved the acquisition of property, the board was allowed to discuss much of the matter behind closed doors during an executive session.

Executive, or closed, session in government meetings may be used to discuss property acquisition, personnel and legal matters.

Porter did say the board was able to buy the property “at a fraction of the initial listing,” which was about $500,000.