Old school building goes to Chatham

CHATHAM — The Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors gave the old Chatham Elementary School building to the town of Chatham after a public hearing Tuesday night.

However, Chatham Town Council must decide whether it wants the historic building and 10 acres of the land it sits on. Town Councilman Jim McDole, speaking as a citizen, told the Board of Supervisors during the public hearing he would like to see supervisors take a prudent approach and use the building to house county offices. The old school is centrally located and constructing a brand-new building for those offices would cost more, McDole told supervisors.

Last June, the board rejected by a 4-3 vote a proposal to renovate the old school to house county administrative offices. Supervisors had considered upgrading the building on Chatham’s South Main Street for relocation of the county’s administrative, zoning, building inspection and finance offices. Officials say the county doesn’t have the money to revamp the building. But Chatham Mayor George O. Haley said earlier this month the town doesn’t have the funds either.

Chatham Town Manager Mike Jones is pursuing federal economic stimulus money to renovate the structure in hopes of moving the town’s post office there. Jones said he’d like to house town government offices there, and lease space to the post office and federal, state and local governments.

Mary Catherine Plaster, who lives near the building, said preserving the former school is important and that abandoned schools in other communities have been renovated at little cost. Historic preservation funding is available, she said.

Bill Black, president of Chatham First, said the best use of the structure would be for holding office space and it would speak well for the county.

Chatham resident Eloise Nenon supported giving the building to the town of Chatham.

“We need to preserve this as part of our history,” Nenon said.

Chatham-Blairs Supervisor Hank Davis said the question should be referred back to the Property and Building Committee since it has a new chairmanship since last year. Davis and Staunton River Supervisor Marshall Ecker supported making it a joint venture between the town and county.

“I know we can work something out,” Ecker said.

Ecker had made a motion to vote against giving it to the town, but Tunstall Supervisor Tim Barber introduced a substitute motion to give the school to Chatham. Barber said the board needs to concentrate on bringing jobs to the area and that renovating the school would be too costly.

After more board discussion, Ecker introduced a second substitute motion to table the matter so the town could decide whether it wants the building. Ecker’s substitute motion was defeated by a 4-3 margin. The board voted 5-2, with Davis and Ecker opposing, to give the building to the town of Chatham.

Pittsylvania County will keep the registrar’s office, which is located in a separate building in front of the school.

Jones estimated earlier this month it would cost $1.5 million to upgrade the former elementary school. The facility would need lead and asbestos abatement, heating and cooling replacement, general maintenance, updated lighting and newly connected doors, Jones said. He said he would use green building principles and make the facility energy-efficient and convert it to meet the standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Also, the town needs the asset to maintain a good bond rating, Jones said.

Contact John R. Crane at or (434) 791-7987.