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Florence School Board approves ground-lease deal with county to build Savannah Grove Elementary
Summary
The Florence School District 1 board approved a resolution to ground-lease district property to Florence County and lease back the school portion to build the new Savannah Grove Elementary, with shared ball fields and bonds due to close next week; groundbreaking is targeted for late May or early June.
Florence — The Florence School District 1 Board of Trustees voted to approve a ground-lease resolution enabling a joint development with Florence County to construct a new Savannah Grove Elementary School.
Dr. O’Malley, the district superintendent, said the agreement will lease district-owned Savannah Grove property to the county and then lease back the portion where the school will sit so the county can fund and build shared ball fields and infrastructure that will serve both the district and the county. He told trustees the bonds financing the project are scheduled to close next week and that officials hope to break ground in late May or early June on a two-year construction program.
"We are agreeing to lease district property to the county, and then the county will lease it back to the district for the school," Dr. O’Malley said. "The school will be constructed along with fields the county will operate; we will have agreements to use the fields as well."
Board members who spoke praised the partnership. One member congratulated the superintendent and county council for what he called an "unprecedented achievement and partnership" that allowed the project to move forward quickly. Another thanked Doris Lockhart and a local Savannah Grove group for years of advocacy that helped keep the effort alive.
The resolution presented to the board authorized the officers of the district to execute and deliver the leases and related documents with such non-inconsistent changes as the superintendent, with legal counsel, deems necessary. The motion to adopt the resolution passed by voice vote.
The approved plan calls for a new elementary school and associated ball fields and infrastructure; the district said the fields will be turned over to the county for operation under an agreement while the district retains the school. The board was told contracts and construction procurement will proceed after bond closing.
The board took the vote after the resolution was moved, seconded and brief comments of congratulations; no roll-call tally was recorded in the public record.
The district said the project addresses a long-standing need in the Savannah Grove community and is expected to generate accompanying development benefits for the area.
