03-22-2018 Property Building Committee Meeting Minutes - Draft
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MINUTES
PITTSYLVANIA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
PROPERTY/BUILDING COMMITTEE
MAIN CONFERENCE ROOM
COUNTY ADMINISTRATION BUILDING
THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2018
4:00 PM
The meeting was opened at 4:00 by Mr. Joe B. Davis, Chairman of the Property
and Building Committee of the Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors.
Present
Joe Davis, Chairman, Property and Building Committee, Board of Supervisors
Dr. Charles Miller, Jr., Property and Building Committee, Board of Supervisors
Absent
Mr. Robert Warren, Property and Building Committee, Board of Supervisors
Guests
Mr. Ronald S. Scearce, Vice Chairman, Board of Supervisors
David Smitherman, County Administrator
Richard Hicks, Assistant County Administrator
Kaylyn McCluster, Deputy Clerk
J. Vaden Hunt Esq., County Attorney
Ceillie Simkiss, Danville Register & Bee
Motion was made by Dr. Miller and a second by Mr. Davis to approve the agenda.
Mr. Hicks started with reviewing the proposals for the Armory. He spoke on 4
proposed uses and had a handout that showed what they were, as follows:
Pittsylvania County Schools – Ready for Success
Chatham First – Local Arts, Community and Commerce
Pittsylvania County – Public Safety Training Center and Emergency Operations
Center – E-911 Center
Pittsylvania County Parks and Recreation – Fitness and Youth Practice Facility
Mr. Hicks explained that the Ready for Success program was hoping to be able to
work with troubled youth instead of having them go through the County’s CSA program.
Chatham First is a locally based arts and farmer’s market. Hicks stated that the Public
Safety Training Center does need to be addressed because of the current flooding issues,
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but that is a longer-term project. The last option was for Pittsylvania County Parks and
Recreation to use it as a fitness and youth practice facility. The Armory is currently
being used by the Parks and Recreation department for youth basketball practice.
Hicks stated that if the schools were to use it for their Ready for Success program,
that the gym portion could still be used by the Parks and Recreation department. Mr.
Davis stated that he was hoping that would be the case, for it to still be used by Parks and
Recreation. Hicks pointed out the current zoning of the property, and the fact that if the
property was used for a school it would need a Conditional Use Permit by the Town
Council by the Town of Chatham.
Dr. Miller stated that anything that would help to get away from the CSA debt
would be agreeable to him. Mr. Scearce asked if there was any knowledge of the cost
savings of CSA if the school were to use the facility, and he also asked if it were used for
a youth facility, if there would be any equipment installed and the cost to the County for
that. Mr. Smitherman added that he had spoken with Mark Moore about the need for a
fitness facility in the community, but all of that would be 100% County cost; unless
someone wanted to make a charitable contribution. The schools initial run would be to
have two small classrooms. Mr. Smitherman said that he and Dr. Jones had walked
through the Armory and saw very minimal costs to get up and going; especially since
they don’t see the need for A/C. Although, they are required to have a playground for
CSA type services. Mr. Smitherman also stated that if the school were to use the facility,
they were still able to incorporate some of the other proposals. They would still be able
to have recreation uses being that the kids wouldn’t be there after school hours. Mr.
Davis asked how that would be written into a proposal with other facilities that could use
the space. Mr. Smitherman noted that there are other things there that could be used in
other ways, such as the building pad that could potentially be used for Public Safety in
the future; and the schools could also use the building in the back for their maintenance
shop. Mr. Hunt stated that the County could enter into some kind of contractual joint use
agreement which would outline that it could be used for multiple things and Mr. Davis
stated that he liked that the best so far and he felt that it was the best overall pick.
Mr. Davis recommended to ask the schools to come up with a proposal agreement
so that we could see what it would save the County and then to take the matter to the full
Board at a work session. Dr. Miller made the motion to reach out to the schools for
further information, and it was seconded by Mr. Davis. Mr. Hunt suggested that staff
make it a point to set up a meeting with the schools and with Mr. Cocke, Chatham Town
Manager, in the near future. Mr. Davis also asked if there would be any additional
maintenance costs, although we have been maintaining it for years. Mr. Smitherman said
that there is a little fence work needed and equipment for the playground. Also, A/C in
classrooms at some point, but only the split units. The classrooms need paint and wax on
the floors as well, but hopefully these could be a shared cost. Dr. Miller stated that the
local arts could be contracted out as well and that this could be built into the lease
agreement, as making the building available for community activity.
A motion was made by Dr. Miller, with a second from Mr. Davis to adjourn at 4:16 pm.