By Sarah Campbell
scampbell@salisburypost.com
SALISBURY ó Cornerstone Church leaders are again pitching their Webb Road property as an option for a Rowan-Salisbury School System central office.
The churchís board of directors sent Rowan County Commissioners a letter of intent Wednesday, listing three possible purchase options ranging from $3 million to $4 million.
That comes two days after school board members agreed to consider other options if their quest for a downtown central office gets nixed by commissioners during a Jan. 3 meeting.
And itís one day after the Salisbury City Council agreed to donate a $200,000 parcel in the 300 block of South Main Street for a 62,000 square-foot building. A private developer would construct the facility, with the school system entering a lease-purchase agreement.
The donation of the land and $1.5 million in New Market Tax Credits would knock the estimated price tag of the project to $7.15 million.
This isnít the first time Cornerstone has put its property on the table.
The church offered to sell its business, education and child development centers, with a combined total of between 42,000 and 44,000 square feet of space, as well as nearly nine acres of land, to the school system in November 2010.
At the time, the purchase price was estimated to be between $4.5 million and $5.5 million.
In February, Gene Miller, the districtís assistant superintendent of operations, said the school system would consider buying the property from Cornerstone at the right time, ěif that right time ever gets here.î
ěRight now, we donít have any money to do anything,î he told the Post then.
Thatís why the school board is interested in the current downtown proposal. The lease-purchase option would require no upfront funds.
Bill Godair, the churchís lead pastor, said the offer reappeared after a meeting with commissioners Jim Sides and Carl Ford.
ěThey informed me that they were there as citizens, not as county commissioners, and they wanted to find out if there were any possibilities,î Godair said.
Sides and Ford did not return phone calls for comment Friday.
Miller told school board members earlier this week that after touring the Long Street Administrative Office, Sides and Ford agree the district needs a central office. But they will not support building one downtown.
Safety concerns and infrastructure needs highlight the issues at the 88-year-old Long Street building, which needs an estimated $2 million in upgrades.
Godair said he agrees the district needs a central office.
ěThese folks do a great job. They need a good, safe place to work,î he said.
But he also opposes the downtown proposal.
ěI understand the city wanting it downtown, but I donít agree with it,î he said.
Godair questioned where the city would find the money to build a parking lot with 160 spaces for the facility, another term City Council agreed to Tuesday.
ěI just donít think itís the wisest decision,î he said. ěThese are the same people who just gave us Fibrant. It is what it is, but now weíre stuck with it.î
Godairís proposal includes a $3 million option for the district to purchase the buildings and land.
Another option would allow the district to buy the property for $3 million along with the opportunity to purchase furniture, equipment and technology at a fair market value.
A third option would allow the district to purchased the child development center and land as well as the event and business center as-is with all the furnishings for $4 million.
The letter states the church can vacate the business and education centers within 90 days of the purchase date.
Godair applauded commissioners Sides and Ford for seeking other options, saying there are a lot of questions and uncertainty about the downtown proposal.
ěI think theyíre just trying to find something that will work,î he said. ěI donít have any problem with the county commissioners trying to get the best deal they can for the citizens.
ěI donít have a problem with them building downtown. I just donít know if theyíve considered the costs.î
A downtown central office could end up costing $9.5 million once interest is tacked on.
Miller has said the district will save $4.4 million during the next decade by consolidating its five offices into one. That figure includes eliminating additional rent and duplicated services such as utilities, Internet, cleaning and clerical.
The district also anticipates having to spend about $3.2 million for repairs and upgrades to Long and Ellis street administrative offices in the next 10 years.
ěWe would have to spend $7.6 million between now and 2021. Thatís almost enough to pay for a new building,î Miller said during the November school board meeting.
During fiscal year 2015-16, the school system will complete its $2.2 million annual payments for the 1992 bond referendum, freeing up those funds to go toward a central office.
Godair said if the school system purchased the Cornerstone property, officials could begin the moving-in process within three months.
ěWindstream just installed new wiring for the Internet and phones,î he said. ěWe donít let anything get rundown. We are constantly upgrading. There is no wall right now that needs to be painted or carpet that needs to be replaced.î
Despite rumors, Godair said the church is not trying to sell the building because of financial hardships.
ěI want to make it very clear, we didnít go to anybody. They came to us,î he said, referring to Sides and Ford.
But Godair said at the end of the day, he just wants to see the school system with a central office.
ěI think they deserve an adminstration building and it doesnít have to be Cornerstone Church,î he said.
School Board Chairman Dr. Jim Emerson said he was surprised to hear about Godairís offer Friday.
ěI just find it interesting considering how opposed he was to us getting an education center back in (August),î he said.
Godair sent a letter to Superintendent Dr. Judy Grissom, county commissioners and the Post that month questioning the upkeep of Knox Middle School.
Members of Cornerstone volunteered to clean and paint the school after a plea from a teacher regarding the conditions. The church raised several thousand dollars for repairs at the school after hearing about its problems.
ěAs much as Iím in favor of those folks having good working conditions, I am also in favor of our children having a good, clean, safe working environment,î he wrote.
District officials responded by saying more than $1 million in repairs and additions had been done at Knox since 2006.
Emerson said Cornerstoneís proposal would have to be weighed by the entire board.
ěWe donít have $3 million anyway. Thatís been the whole idea behind the downtown office,î he said. ěI just donít know. Iím a little bit in awe right now.î
Miller and Chad Mitchell, chairman fo the Rowan County Board of Commissioners , could not be reached for comment about the new Cornerstone proposal Friday.
Contact reporter Sarah Campbell at 704-797-7683.
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