You can probably count out Alberto Monserrate as a voter when the Minneapolis school board decides to sell the old Northrop school building.

That's even though it lies within his board district.

Monserrate said recently he's not like to vote on whether United Properties or Hiawatha Academies or a yet-to-emerge proposer should get the rights to buy the 1923 school.

He responded when asked at a community meeting about his position, given that Monserrate is not only the chair of the Minneapolis district's board but also formerly chaired the board of Hiawatha before he was elected a school board member..

There's apparently no statutory bar to Monserrate voting, given that he wouldn't gain personally from his vote. But he said his dual links are sufficient to abstain to avoid an appearance of a conflict.

Monserrate didn't even want to say whether he favors the charter school proposal by Hiawatha or United's senior housing-charter school plan. But he predicted that the staff recommendation between the two likely will prove determinative with the board. It is believed that the United Properties proposal offers more money than the $1 million offered by Hiawatha. It also creates more tax base.