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Burke County Board of Education seeks county approval to buy nearly 14 acres for new elementary school; county places item on consent
Summary
The Burke County Board of Education asked commissioners to approve a $675,000 purchase price for about 13.97 acres in Hildebrand for a planned new elementary school; the county placed the item on the consent agenda pending environmental and site studies.
Representatives of the Burke County Board of Education asked the Burke County Board of Commissioners to approve a purchase price of $675,000 for two adjoining parcels in the Hildebrand area intended for construction of a new elementary school in eastern Burke County.
Keith Lawson, representing the Burke County Board of Education, told commissioners the combined acreage is approximately 13.97 acres (two parcels: about 10.06 and 3.91 acres). Lawson said the board will conduct standard due diligence—phase‑I and, if necessary, phase‑II environmental studies, a test‑fit for the school facility and a stream‑buffer determination—before completing any purchase. "There will be a phase 1, phase 2 environmental studies completed," Lawson said.
Lawson and county staff noted state law requires county approval of purchase price for property acquired for school construction; the item packet cited the state statute the board referenced in the meeting and the staff presentation. Funding for the project will draw on a previously awarded $42 million state lottery grant for school construction; the grant requires a county match, and the county match (and the land purchase) would come from the county’s capital fund balance, Lawson said.
The request was left on the meeting’s consent agenda for action at the regular meeting; no final purchase approval or vote on the purchase price occurred at the pre‑agenda session. Staff said additional details, including environmental and site‑suitability findings, will be provided before any final action.
Why this matters: the parcels, if purchased, would be the site for a new elementary school paid with state lottery construction proceeds plus a county match. Environmental and fit determinations are needed because acquisition would remove the property from the tax rolls if the state mitigation/acquisition program proceeds.
Next steps: staff will complete environmental reviews and site fit studies and bring the purchase and appropriation details back for formal action at a future meeting.
