Board tables Highland property, approves Davis Creek conveyance; Milton proposals remain under review

The Cabell County Board of Education on Feb. 4 approved conveying the former Davis Creek Elementary School to Mercy Village Church and tabled action on the former Highland Elementary property after members said they needed clearer, written plans from the City of Huntington for future use.

Board members voted by voice to approve most consent-agenda items, including the conveyance of Davis Creek to Mercy Village Church under a stipulation that the property not be used as a K–12 school; the motion approving the consent agenda excluded the Highland property and that item was later tabled.

The matter of the former Milton Elementary School drew multiple public speakers proposing different community uses. Mayor Shane Evans and community members urged the board to convey Milton to the City of Milton or to local nonprofits that would repurpose the site for recreation, economic development and educational programming. Resident Monty Fowler told the board he supported transferring Milton to the city but urged “a lot better idea of what exactly the city wants to do” before final conveyance to avoid leaving an unused building in the neighborhood. He added that giving property to a potential nonpublic school could create a competitor for public education and warned against making facilities readily available for that purpose.

Local nonprofit founder Shayla Lucas presented a written plan from her group, the Local Exchange, proposing to operate Milton as an incubator for small businesses, a regenerative market farm, a community learning center and other community services. Lucas asked the board to donate the building and land to the Local Exchange with a five‑year reversion clause if the stated public-purpose uses are not implemented.

Superintendent Hardesty explained three separate statutory disposal pathways the board may use—charitable conveyance, municipal conveyance or auction—and supplied the board with a copy of West Virginia Code §18‑5‑7b governing charitable or community use of unneeded school buildings. Hardesty said Mercy Village Church had provided 501(c)(3) documentation for the Davis Creek proposal and that state code allows a reversion clause within five years if the charity ceases the agreed public use.

Board discussion reflected concern about the Highland/Highlawn property in Huntington. Several board members and public commenters said the current City of Huntington administration had been more tentative than prior city officials about the site’s future and that the board should receive clearer written commitments before transferring the property. The board voted to table item 4.04 to allow staff to seek additional written clarification from city officials about proposed uses.

The board president said the Davis Creek deed would include a clause prohibiting K–12 use and that the deed search and closing costs would be paid by the receiving entity, consistent with the items presented.

No formal numeric roll-call votes with named tallies were recorded on the public transcript for these motions; outcomes were announced by voice vote in open session.

The board will consider the Milton site further; in the meantime board staff were directed to seek and present written plans and, where appropriate, reversion language prior to any conveyance of the Highland/Highlawn property.