Board clears path to sell former central office on Cherry Street to Davie County Museum

The Davie County Board of Education declared the former central office at 220 Cherry Street surplus and approved proceeding with an offer from the Davie County Museum Inc. to buy the property for $450,000, the board announced Oct. 17.

Superintendent Dr. Belcher described the site as roughly 2.7 acres with a ground‑floor office of about 10,182 square feet, a 2,400‑square‑foot basement and a detached storage building of about 1,600 square feet. He said the district completed construction of a new central office at 1200 Salisbury Street and has fully moved staff and services out of the Cherry Street property. "The Cherry Street property is unnecessary and undesirable for public school purposes pursuant to North Carolina general statute 115 c 5 18," he said, recommending the board declare it surplus to maximize resources for public school purposes.

Under the procedure Dr. Belcher outlined, the board is required to offer the property first to the Davie County Board of Commissioners at fair market value; if the commissioners decline, the district may accept the museum’s written offer and proceed with the statutory upset‑bid process specified in N.C. Gen. Stat. 168‑2‑66 and 168‑2‑69. The board voted 7‑0 to declare the property surplus and then 7‑0 to accept the museum’s offer subject to those statutory steps.

Board members praised the museum committee’s fundraising and local commitment. The superintendent and legal counsel were authorized to take the steps necessary to complete the process and to work with the county on the right‑of‑first‑refusal offer.

Next steps include formally offering the property to the county, documenting fair market value, and, if the county declines, completing the upset‑bid process and finalizing any sale agreement.