CHASEBURG - The former Chaseburg School is getting a makeover from Organic Valley.

The La Farge-based business is remodeling the school to store dry products, including packaging material for butter production. The remodeling is expected to be done by Sept. 30.

Organic Valley is leasing the building from the village, which bought it from Westby Area School District for $1, with the intent of buying the structure later this year.

A dock has been added on the west side of the older section of the school and a short road built to the west parking area. Inside, walls have been removed, classroom plumbing capped off, unused electrical wiring isolated, single-pane windows reinsulated, and the roof and heating and air conditioning systems inspected and repaired.

At the same time, village officials are working to secure a grant and additional funding to connect water and sewer to the area, which was annexed into the village earlier this year.

"There's always so much waiting when it comes to government, and although it seems so simple, all the red tape drives us crazy," said Linda DeGarmo, village clerk, referring to the Community Development Block Grant the village hopes to secure.

Organic Valley has signed a lease-to-purchase agreement with Chaseburg for the former school, said Jeff Kragt, Organic Valley director of dairy production and manufacturing.

No additional staff is expected to be hired for

the Chaseburg facility for now, he said. Future staffing will be based on the building's use after the purchase agreement is complete.