Residents urge Northampton County to secure Gaston high school building for community use

Residents told the Board of Commissioners they want the county to take control of the Gaston high school building when Northampton County Schools moves into a new facility and vacates the site.

At the podium, a longtime resident described conversations with Superintendent Dr. Atkins and said the school district currently plans no future classes at the Gaston building. The speaker urged the county to act quickly "because buildings sit and deteriorate" and proposed uses including a sheriff substation, a social services satellite office, space for youth mentoring and expanded recreation beyond football and basketball.

Speaker Sylvia Vincent echoed that appeal and asked the board to "step up to the plate" and move beyond talking. Commissioners said they understood the urgency and noted the replacement school is slated to open in August 2026, meaning the building is unlikely to be available before then.

Speakers emphasized county ownership would be necessary because local nonprofits would not be able to absorb major maintenance costs such as roof repairs, chillers or parking-lot resurfacing.

Next steps: Commissioners said the matter could be incorporated into strategic planning and capital-improvement discussions; no formal transfer or funding action was taken at the meeting.