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Board authorizes negotiations to accept 6‑acre green‑space near Ladies Island Middle School after heated debate
Summary
The board authorized the superintendent to negotiate a contract to accept a 6‑acre green‑space donation adjacent to Ladies Island Middle School (Green Space purchase price cited at $2.2 million). Members debated liability, public access, precedent and county roles before approving negotiations; final contract language must return for board approval.
The Beaufort County Board of Education voted on Sept. 26 to authorize the superintendent to negotiate a contract to accept a 6‑acre green‑space parcel adjacent to Ladies Island Middle School. The property is being advanced through the county’s Green Space program and representatives said the purchase price would be approximately $2,200,000 and that the green‑space organization would facilitate the county purchase and transfer to the district.
The motion read at the meeting authorized the superintendent to negotiate a contract and bring it back to the board for approval. The applicant for the green‑space application, Ethan James, told the board he had pursued multiple pathways over nearly a year and asked the board to allow negotiations to proceed: “So what we’re asking for is a vote to take this to the next step,” he said.
Nut graf: The discussion centered on trade‑offs: supporters said accepting the gift would protect wooded land adjacent to the school from commercial development and provide outdoor learning and security buffers; critics raised concerns about liability, unclear public‑access rules (Green Space applications typically require public access), long‑term maintenance costs, and the precedent of the district owning passive parkland the county might otherwise manage.
Board debate and legal/administrative questions: Board members pressed for clear contract language on permitted uses, public access during school hours, fences or physical delineation, and whether the county could retain easements or require future changes that would affect the school. One operations member noted the Green Space entity is tax‑exempt and that donors would receive tax benefits if the organization purchased the land.
Vote and next steps: After substantial discussion and multiple public and board comments, the chair called the question and announced the motion carried; the chair and several members said contract details, restrictions and any needed memoranda of agreement would be worked out and returned to the board when title transfers are ready. The board recorded that contract language must address access, liability and development restrictions before final acceptance.
Ending: The board’s authorization permits staff and the district attorney to draft terms; any final transfer, deed restrictions or MOA for joint use will require board approval at a later meeting.
