In Minneola, where the Lake County board urgently wants to builda new high school and middle school in the south end of the county,the board has approved a $3.5-million contract with former countycommissioner Claude Smoak to buy his 110-acre tract for $32,000 peracre or 73 cents per sf.

The only problem with that deal is that the board previouslyalso approved a nearly $3.5-million contract with Orlando lawyerJohn Lowndes to buy his 115-acre spread for $30,000 an acre or 69cents per sf. Although the Lowndes land price is lower, the boardhas found road access problems with the tract--problems that wouldtake about $14 million to correct, school officials confirm.

School board officials couldn't be reached by GlobeSt.com'spublication deadline. But local real estate lawyers not associatedwith the land deals tell GlobeSt.com the board could be legallyobligated to buy both tracts. If that happens, the boardconceivably could still wind up ahead by re-selling the tract to aprivate developer at a profit, local land brokers say.