By Terry Witt – Spotlight Senior Reporter
The old Bronson High School could become the newest addition to the Levy County Courthouse depending on the outcome of negotiations with the Levy County School Board.
County Coordinator Wilbur Dean announced Tuesday at the county commission meeting that the school board has offered to sell the 40,000 square foot school to the board.
The asking price is in the neighborhood of $1.5 million to “well under $2 million,” according to Board Chairman John Meeks.
Dean said the school has been well maintained and the air conditioning system is in good condition.
The courthouse has been cramped for space for a number of years. Meeks said purchasing the old school could potentially give the county 15 to 20 years before it actually has to build a new courthouse.
Clerk of Circuit Court Danny Shipp said, adding the office space will spare the county from an administrative court order to build a new courthouse. The county’s judicial office and courthouse area have been criticized as being inadequate.
The school is directly across the street from the rear of the courthouse. The interior of the school would have to be remodeled to accommodate the county’s needs.
The county’s budget officer, Jared Blanton, said the commission could afford to buy the building using reserve funds if the sale is in the range being discussed with school board officials.
Board Chairman John Meeks said the alternative might be an eventual court order to build a new judicial complex/courthouse that could cost in the neighborhood of $12 million to $15 million.
Blanton said the commission can’t afford to build a new courthouse.
Commissioners didn’t commit to buying the old school. Meeks indicated negotiations are in progress and the county commission wants the best deal it can get.
The school board hopes to remove the old school from its books by selling it. The school board is preparing to construct a new middle-high school in Chiefland and wants to divest itself of the old Williston Middle School, Williston High School, and Bronson High School.
One advantage of buying the old Bronson High School aside from the price is that the board could consolidate outlying county offices located in Bronson into an office complex at the school.
County government-owned office buildings in Bronson could be declared surplus and sold, according to Meeks.
The school has its own kitchen and cafeteria. Those facilities would make it useful as a storm shelter during hurricanes, Meeks said. The county may not have to rely on local schools to supply a Bronson shelter.
Meeks said if the county doesn’t buy the property the school board may move its administrative offices to the building, but he said if the county commissioners buy the building the school board could use the money to expand at its current office complex off Marshburn Drive.
Tax Collector Linda Fugate said her office takes in $40 million annually and relies on the Levy County Sheriff’s Office for security at the courthouse. She said if the county were to move her office next door to the old school she would need the same security she currently enjoys by having the sheriff’s office in the courthouse.
Fugate said she did take a walk-through of the building. She said the county commission would be preserving the facility if it were to buy it.
“I think it will be a great asset to our county,” she said.
Property Appraiser Osborn Barker said security would have to be provided at the school if it were converted to county offices. He said spillover parking from the courthouse is already occurring at the old school.
He said the board should consider providing more judicial space.
Photo by Terry Witt: The front entrance of the old Bronson High School looks much like it when it was last actively used for that purpose. The small dome at the top rear of the photo is the cupola on the roof of the Levy County Courthouse.
Regular Board of County Commission Meeting April 24, 2018
Posted April 25, 2018
