Once again, a rumor has surfaced that needs to be addressed. It has been said that I wanted to tear down the Lion’s Club in Sale Creek. So let me tell you the facts.
I found in May of this year that Hamilton County owned the property where the Lion’s Club is located adjacent to Sale Creek Middle/High. I was made aware of this when meeting with the architect selection committee for the new addition to Sale Creek Middle/ High. While looking at some of the plans I noticed the Lion’s Club was not there. I asked if we were going to buy the Lion’s Club property. At that point I was told that Hamilton County had owned the property for at least 10-12 years and at that time of the purchase, an agreement was made between the county and the Lion’s Club that allowed them to use it as a courtesy on a week to week basis.
A few weeks later I was approached by some Lion’s Club members and was told that the school system could not do anything with the Lion’s Club property because if it was not used as a club or civic organization it was to revert back to the original owners. Since I did not know who originally owned the property or the stipulations placed on it when it was given to the Lion’s Club, who signed to sell the property to Hamilton County, or how much was paid for the property, I suggested they contact the Hamilton County Real Estate Department and talk to Paul Parker or call HCDE and talk with Gary Waters, who is over building and maintenance. I called Gary Waters and Tobin Davidson, principal of Sale Creek Middle/High and neither of them had been contacted by anyone. I have not talked to Paul Parker but I will try to tomorrow.
I have not seen the plans for the new school so I have no idea if the Lion’s Club building is going to be touched or not. But, I do know if there is any question about ownership of the property, now is the time to address it with the county real estate department. Also, the decision about what to do with the property will not be mine. That decision belongs to a majority of the school board and a majority of County Commission.
I have been told that Sale Creek’s new fire hall will have a 2,500 square foot community room and a conference room that will hold 10-12 people. The community room will have a full functioning kitchen and tables for dinners. Each of these rooms was drawn into the plans with civic groups in mind and will be available for the Lion’s Club to use.
I have fought for the last 10 years to get Sale Creek an addition to their school. Every time I hear of a piece of property for sale around the Sale Creek campus, I call Gary Waters or Paul Parker to see if the county can buy it. I would love to have enough property on the present campus for a football field and other athletic facilities so students will not have to leave campus to practice. I would also like to see the sewer extended to Sale Creek M/H so more of the present campus can be used for construction instead of field lines.
Sale Creek students deserve a first class campus. I will continue to do everything in my power to see that that happens.
Rhonda Thurman