Groups form to study plans for Chatham Elementary School

CHATHAM — Those supporting preservation of the old Chatham Elementary School have a year to come up with a plan for the building.

That’s what the Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors decided at its meeting in Chatham on Tuesday night.

After a public hearing and a lengthy discussion over whether to put the structure up for sale, the board voted to set up a committee and a subcommittee including residents at large to explore what to do with it and look at historic-funding options to renovate and preserve the former school. If the county and school advocates don’t come up with a plan in a year, the building could be sold.

“I’m not going to wait long,” board chairman and Westover Supervisor Coy Harville told school-preservation supporters just before the board’s vote.

Harville challenged school advocates to back up their words with actions and said he would like to see Chatham First, an organization opposing the sale of the school, purchase the building.

On Sept 8, the Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to rescind its May decision to give the old Chatham Elementary School building to the town of Chatham. The decision came after the town failed to decide what to do with the old school.

  Members of Chatham First, including the group’s president, Bill Black, implored supervisors not to sell the structure. Technological advances in communication and construction can make the school into a state-of-the-art office building, Black said. State and historic-preservation grants would reduce the county’s cost to renovate the structure, he said.

Black said the county should consider referring the issue to its property and building committee, get resident input on the school’s fate and have an architect investigate its viability.

The building is an important part of the town’s history, said Chatham resident Eloise Nenon.

“It’s an integral part of the town of Chatham,” Nenon said.

“We need to keep it, we need to preserve it,” she added.

Victor Millner, who lives less than 1/4-mile from the school, said whatever happens to the school will reflect what happens to the county. Selling it would seriously affect the neighborhood and the town of Chatham, he said.

“It is deteriorating and it’s doing it on your watch,” he said.

Millner said he would help organize residents and try to come back before the board with a plan for the old school.

Mary Lee Black, speaking as a member of the Chatham Planning Commission, said she had concerns about zoning, since the school is in a historic district in a residential neighborhood.

Mollie Holmes, a realtor, said prospective homebuyers sometimes call the school building “an elegant piece of architecture.” Selling it would be a travesty, she said.

After the hearing, Callands-Gretna Supervisor Fred Ingram made the motion for the county to take up the matter in committee and establish a subcommittee to explore options for the school. Staunton River Supervisor Marshall Ecker seconded the motion and agreed with Ingram.

“I think we need to save the Chatham Elementary School because that is a historical building in sound shape,” Ecker said, adding he would be willing to serve on the subcommittee.

Chatham-Blairs Supervisor Hank Davis said Chatham has moved all its schools outside the town, which destroys a community’s spirit. Davis said he would be willing to serve on the committee.

Dan River Supervisor James Snead said the county does not have the money to spend on the school and if supporters’ efforts yield no results, he will vote to sell the structure.

Tunstall Supervisor Tim Barber said he does not support the county paying to revamp the school and that it should be a community effort. That’s why the county gave it to the town of Chatham, Barber said.