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Cumberland County School Board weighs time‑sensitive purchase of modular clinic as insurer review is requested
Summary
Board members discussed buying a 1,640‑sq.‑ft. modular building (former pro shop) for a district employee clinic with a $125,000 purchase/move price and a reported $500,000 startup estimate. Dr. Farley said the seller requires removal by July 6; trustees asked Gallagher (insurance broker) for staffing/cost analysis before a final decision.
The Cumberland County School Board discussed a time‑sensitive opportunity to buy a 1,640‑square‑foot modular building — currently used as the pro shop at Druid Hills Golf Course in Fairfield Glade — and convert it into an on‑site employee health clinic.
Director of Schools Dr. Farley said the district had been offered the building for a combined purchase‑and‑move price of $125,000 and that the seller asked that it be removed from the site by July 6. He told the board staff had identified a probable capital fund line that could cover the acquisition but said staffing, equipment and ongoing operating costs still needed clarification.
"We have the opportunity to purchase this building," Dr. Farley said. "It is 1,640 square feet and appears to be in very good shape. We have the money in our educational capital line to purchase it if you want to purchase it." He added that startup and staffing would be additional and that draft cost estimates were being compiled.
A district representative described a second option: a 24‑foot mobile trailer priced at about $115,000 that could be moved between sites. Dr. Farley said the full startup price — including equipment and initial staffing as presented by the insurer’s consultant — had been estimated at roughly $500,000.
Several board members praised the quality and condition of the building; a member of the public who said he works for the Fairfield Glade golf operation said the modular unit was nearly new and handicap accessible. "It's in great shape," the resident said, urging the trustees to consider the deadline.
Other trustees urged caution. One board member said buying the structure before the district had a firm plan for staffing, scope of services and recurring costs would be premature. "You don't buy the cart before you buy the horse," the member said, arguing for insurer and budget analysis before committing to long‑term recurring expenses.
Dr. Farley told the board Gallagher — the district’s insurance broker — had worked with the district on clinic modeling and benefits projections and offered to return with more detail. He said Gallagher staff were not available until the first week of July but that he had texted them to request a presentation on Monday, July 6, and recommended a special‑called meeting that day to review Gallagher’s numbers and then follow immediately with the scheduled work session if necessary.
Board members also discussed who the clinic would serve. Dr. Farley said the initial proposal was to provide services to district employees and their families, not students, and that using the clinic to reduce employee absenteeism was one of the projected benefits the insurer cited.
No purchase vote was taken tonight. The board asked Dr. Farley to pursue Gallagher’s expedited presentation and to seek whether the seller could extend the removal date to allow for that review. If Gallagher can attend on July 6, the board said it would consider a special‑called meeting following the presentation.
