By Terry Witt – Spotlight Senior Reporter

                Bronson Town Manager Susan Beaudet learned at Tuesday’s Levy County Commission meeting she will have to send a formal letter from the Bronson Town Council to the commission offering to buy the old high school gym.

            The potential sale of the gym to the town has been discussed for months.

            Beaudet sent an email to the county a month ago expressing Bronson’s interest in purchasing the gymnasium as a youth recreational facility but it wasn’t considered a formal letter of communication from the town council.

            Commission Chairman John Meeks said she would have to send a letter approved by the town council to the full county commission expressing the town’s interest in buying the old gym.

            The gym was valued at $287,000 in 2018 when the county commission appraised the gym and the entire vacant Bronson High School. The gym was listed as being in fair condition at the time. The school campus was purchased by the commission and is unofficially called the Levy County Annex. The entire campus was valued at $3.4 million in 2018.

            The appraisal report inaccurately said the gym was constructed in 1975. Meeks and other graduates of the school, relying on family histories and their own experience playing in the gym, say the gym is probably around 70 years old rather than 46 years old as the report states.

            The status of the gymnasium sale has been in limbo.

            The subject of the gym sale was broached by a reporter at Tuesday’s county commission meeting. Meeks had publicly expressed an interest in selling the gym to the town and the town council said it was interested in buying it.

            But weeks passed without any official action on the sale.

             The reporter requested clarification.

            “We haven’t been formally approached about selling the gym,” Meeks responded. “It’s been talked about.”

            Beaudet, who was seated near the reporter, looked surprised.

            “I just wanted the process cleared up,” the reporter said.

            “We haven’t had a formal request, is that correct Mr. Dean?” Meeks said to County Coordinator Wilbur Dean.

            “That’s correct,” Dean said.

            A few minutes later, Beaudet asked for her own clarification.

            “I just want to make sure I’m on the same page. I did email you last month about it,” Beaudet said.

            “We need a formal letter addressed to this board, not to me – I’m a board member – to the whole board,” Meeks responded.

            “Got it,” Beaudet said.

            Meeks added that he also told one Bronson council member that a formal vote was needed approving a letter addressed to the full county commission indicating an interest in buying the gym.

            He said the letter will avoid confusion. He advised Beaudet to make certain the town’s request was included in the minutes of the meeting where the letter was approved by the town council.

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Board of County Commission Regular Meeting March 2, 2021; Posted March 2, 2021