Cleveland County Board authorizes negotiations to sell Marion property to preservation groups

The Cleveland County Board of Education voted 5-4 to authorize its chair, superintendent and board attorney to negotiate a potential sale of the former Marion school property with Preservation North Carolina and the nonprofit 1 More, 1 Less, the board announced during its October meeting.

Under the resolution approved by the board, negotiations would proceed under North Carolina General Statutes §160A-266(b), which permits private negotiations with a nonprofit intermediary for the sale of surplus municipal property. The proposed negotiations must result in a purchase agreement that the board would consider for final approval within 180 days of the vote.

Board member Sperlin moved the resolution; Board member Bridges seconded. The motion passed by a 5-4 vote. The resolution directs the superintendent, the board chair and the board attorney to negotiate terms with Preservation North Carolina and 1 More, 1 Less and return a proposed purchase agreement to the board within 180 days. The board did not record a roll-call of how each member voted in the transcript; the tally reported was 5 in favor and 4 opposed.

The resolution names the property as parcel 19754 located at 410 Forest Hill Drive, Shelby, North Carolina 28150, and notes the board declared the property surplus on April 17, 2023. The board also stated it previously offered the property to the county commission pursuant to North Carolina General Statutes §115-18(a) and that the county commission expressed no interest.

During discussion before the vote, Board member Humphreys said he had reviewed demographic and state budget data and argued the decision should reflect countywide needs rather than emotional attachment to a single building. "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few," Humphreys said, adding that he represents "14,000 students, 28,000 parents, [and] 2,000 employees" and that his outlook was shaped by enrollment and population trends.

A resident identified in the transcript as Blanton, who said he has more than 50 years of experience in construction, questioned some cost estimates and bid amounts discussed previously and urged more planning and verification of repair costs.

The board’s action authorizes negotiation only; it does not constitute a final sale. The resolution states that if negotiations are successful, the terms of the sale will be set out in a purchase agreement and returned to the Cleveland County Board of Education for final approval.

Preservation North Carolina and 1 More, 1 Less were described in the resolution as the nonprofit organizations that would act as intermediaries and have ties to the historic Marion community. The resolution did not specify a purchase price, funding sources for any transaction, or conditions in a future purchase agreement.

The board adopted the resolution and adjourned. The transcript indicates the board expects the negotiators to present a proposed purchase agreement within 180 days of the vote for the board’s final consideration.