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Millboro residents rally to save old school
By Gina Hamilton • Contributing Writer
 | | This green space proposal for the old Millboro school property was circulated at last Sunday's meeting of residents interested in keeping local ownership of the site. It was noted that Bath County has no public park, and if this plan was adopted, the improved site amenities would generate revenue through rentals of two covered picnic shelters. |
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MILLBORO - Residents interested in keeping the old Millboro school property in local hands have 90 days to come up with a plan for the property, or watch it get snapped up by a developer, which plans to convert some of the buildings to apartments and condos, and possibly offer the place back to the county to buy after fiveyears.
Resident Jackie Plecker received approval from the Bath County Board of Supervisors last week for the three-month extension before the board makes a final decision on what to do with the four-acre site at the corner of Crooked Spur Road and Route 668. The campus has languished in indecision limbo for the past 18 years, since the former elementary and high school was closed in 1989.
The board approved the extension request based on a petition signed by 540 residents in one week and presented by Plecker.
She chaired a meeting at the Millboro Ruritan Club building Sunday evening attended by 30 residents interested in finding an option to use the buildings and land to benefit the community. "I got involved as a taxpayer," Plecker said. "I will fight tooth and nail to keep (the county) from giving this property away."
Any building renovation must meet the standards of the state's Department of Historic Resources.
Resident John Haney asked, "What legal standing do we have with the county? That nothing could be done unless the proposal by Spectrum was voted up or down?"
Plecker replied, "Tuesday night (at the supervisors' meeting) the people of Millboro were told we'd have 90 days to come up with a plan. (Chairman) Jon Trees was in favor of Spectrum. He asked Mr. (John) Garland (of Spectrum) if he'd be there at the end of the 90 days, and he said, 'We'll be there.'"
Williamsville District supervisor Stuart Hall attended Sunday's meeting. "As long as you're dealing in good faith and come up with a plan, I think the board will look at it. We all want you to have a shot at it," he said.
It's not that county officials haven't tried to finda use for the historic property. The sticky wicket is asbestos in the old school buildings, and the high cost of removing this hazardous material, about $500,000 to be paid by Bath County, according Garland, president of Spectrum Design of Roanoke, the only firmto make an offer for the property.
Plecker said in 2006, the focus was on asbestos removal and the county sought proposals to remove the material as an emergency. Reading an April 4, 2006 letter from Waco Inc. in Mt. Crawford, to former county administrator Claire Collins, she noted the firm's proposal stated the buildings were the main school building constructed in 1918, with additions built in 1930 and 1960, and separate structures known as the home economics building and the white classroom building. The proposal cited a cost of $286,300, noting demolition of the main school structure, home economics building and white classroom would be another $397,600.
Waco was provided with a copy of the asbestos survey report by Environmental Investigations, which included the main school building. Asbestos was reported in areas from ceiling coating to floor tile, heat shields in light fixtures, equipment insulation, window glazing, and there was extensive crawl space contamination.
The letter noted materials containing asbestos were extensive throughout the main facility, and Collins was informed that due to the hazardous conditions, the building had to be secured and danger signs posted, which was done March 29, 2006. The home economics building and the white classroom building were excluded from the report.
"In the meantime, two men who work for Spectrum have formed Millboro Green, LLC," Plecker said. "The county attorney says they have no assets, but they've made a proposal to take on this renovation project. They will do the work, but the county will do the asbestos and demolition work. This has to be done."
Spectrum would renovate the oldest building into 18 apartments. The former classrooms are 700 to 800 square feet in size. The property would use the same amount of water and sewer as when it was a school. The cost for each connection/apartment would be $600, plus a $3,000 connection cost for a total of $13,800, according to Spectrum. Based on the most recent property evaluation "thrown out by the board," the land is worth $31,000 per acre, or $123,000 for the 4.11-acre site.
Plecker said the two gentlemen from Millboro Green plan on getting tax credit.
Hall said the tax credit was still there. He said he believed it was worth $500,000.
Plecker said in a March 19 letter to present county administrator Bonnie Johnson, Spectrum listed two options for the property, with Option A at $500,000 for asbestos removal, demolition and sewer fees. Option B would be to tear down all the buildings at an estimated cost of $800,000 for asbestos removal and demolition.
"There were no specifics listed on how much asbestos," she said. She contacted Asbestco Inc. of Palmyra, which provided her with an itemized list per the prior asbestos survey. "His quote was less than $300,000," Plecker said.
A resident asked, "Was the request for bids put out to areas of the state that have the larger companies that could do it?"
Hall said it was put into local papers and maybe in the Staunton paper and Roanoke Times. "The Asbestco price was shared with the board in executive session," he said, noting the county was trying to get it done all at once, asbestos removal and demolition of part of the structures, but did not have the money.
Resident Kaye May said, "There have not been any plans by the county. Proper steps were not taken in the process. The sooner it's done, the cheaper it'll be."
Resident Olivia Haney noted that, "either way, the county's got to get bids for asbestos removal."
Hall said they should wait and see what this group wants to do.
Potential site uses
Plecker posed the question, "What do we want to do with this property?"
Ideas came quickly: nursing home, public park, skateboard park, renovate the better building for senior apartments, rent part to BARC electric cooperative and tear down the auditorium building; community center; and use the smaller home economics building for a Millboro extension of the Bath County Historical Society.
Louise Woolard circulated a detailed green space proposal, without school buildings, that would feature covered picnic shelters to generate income with rental fees, a free-standing restroom, a playground and leisure benches, a walking/running trail around the perimeter of the property, and parking spaces on Route 668. "A county as large as Bath has no public park," she said, noting Douthat State Park generates an annual income of $7,115 renting its picnic shelter.
Resident and Ruritan club member Vivian Manis said former club president Selby Schwend obtained a grant some years ago and developed a community center proposal for the buildings. Several said it would be good to review that proposal again.
As to using the former home economics building for historical artifacts, Manis noted the building near the present-day clinic has two floors and plenty of space. "A lot of people would contribute to that," she said. "Millboro has so much history."
Moving ahead
The group elected officerstoward forming a corporation: Donald Blanchard and Jackie Plecker as co-chairs; Bill Manion, vice chair, assisted by daughter Kim Manion to work on grants; Stephanie Forbes, secretary; and Nancy Blanchard, treasurer. Two committees were established, one to meet with BARC, which is interested in leasing meeting and storage space and parking for employees, another for publicity. Plecker encouraged everyone to think of a name for the organization, which will be discussed at the next meeting on Sunday, April 20, at 2 p.m., at the Ruritan building.
The group has also scheduled a meeting today, April 17, at 7 p.m., at the same site, with Robin Sullenberger, chief executive officerof Shenandoah Valley Partnership based in Harrisonburg, and a Highland County supervisor. The public/private partnership provides marketing and business assistance for the region.
Input from supervisors
Millboro District supervisor Carol Hardbarger did not attend Sunday's meeting, but she offered her observations Tuesday. "The decision of what to do about the old Millboro school is certainly a difficultone," she said, "and one of those decisions that has led to the formation of two groups of people: 1) those who want to keep the school in the county's hands, and 2) those (who) are in favor of the Spectrum proposal, or any proposal that would lead to immediate disposal of the property. As hard as it is for persons opposing Spectrum to believe, I have had as many - if not more - people speak to me who support Spectrum and moving forward with their project. This is also one of those decisions that must involve not only consideration of the Millboro district, but the welfare of the county as a whole. The taxpayers in the other four districts of the county will be paying for whatever option is chosen, along with those in Millboro.
"I also realize that the 500-plus signatures on the petition to keep the school are impressive, but as any researcher knows, many of the signatures may not be valid and should be verified before any definitive conclusions could be drawn," she continued. "From just a brief scan of the petition, I noted several signatures of residents from Clifton Forge and Goshen, and at least one duplicate signature. Since the petition's circulation, I have also communicated with several persons who regretted signing it because they did not have all the facts about the Spectrum proposal and the cost to the county should the property be kept. I must say, though, that I am very much desirous of listening to such a large group of individuals and only wish they could have mobilized in the past when proposals were being sought in response to the county's request for proposals. For anyone who is interested, my full comments on the Spectrum proposal, provided at the April 8 supervisors' meeting, are available online at http://cahardbarger.blogspot.com.
"All of that said, I am in favor of moving a project forward, regardless of what that project might be. It is time for the county to act on disposing of a property that is an eyesore and a safety hazard. There is the potential to restore the building to its former beauty and elegance and use it in a productive way. We do have a good opportunity with Spectrum to address our problem and I will not be disappointed if we vote to move forward with them in 90 days. However, I am committed to helping my constituents and will do all that they ask and that is possible for me to do in this next 90 days."
She will be unable to attend tonight's meeting due to a prior commitment at the public hearing on the school budget.
Although his district is Williamsville, Hall said he attended Sunday's meeting because "this thing is county-wide. If the local people can benefit and can do it, I think we have to give them the first option of doing something with that building. I don't want to sway people; I want them to make up their mind, but I'm willing to help them with what they decide as much as I can."
He added that with the Spectrum proposal, people are worried what will happen after fiveyears when the tax credits are used up and the property could be sold to anyone if the county does not buy it.
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