On the evening of June 8, the Shepherdstown Town Council voted unanimously to authorize Mayor James Gatz to execute an agreement for the Town of Shepherdstown to purchase the former Shepherdstown Elementary School property from the Jefferson County Board of Education (BOE).
Following the Council vote, Mayor Gatz said he would immediately be notifying the Board of Education that the Town was ready to proceed with the purchase.
Later that evening at its regularly scheduled meeting, the Jefferson County Board of Education voted unanimously to sell the property to the Town for $1.57 million.
Gatz said he expects the deal to close in July, after the necessary environmental due diligence is performed and the Town’s building commission approves the financing.
Joint Statement from Town & BOE
According to a joint statement issued by the Town of Shepherdstown and the Jefferson County Board of Education following the votes of both bodies, the Town intends to finance the purchase through a bond issuance, allowing the acquisition to move forward without disrupting current Town operations or services.
The joint release described the acquisition as an investment in Shepherdstown’s future: “By bringing the property under local control, the Town aims to preserve the character that defines the historic community, ensure that any future development of the property is guided by local decision-making rather than left to outside parties, and to protect the Town Run — the iconic and environmentally important creek that runs alongside the property.”
Town Plans For Future
Mayor Gatz said in the statement that “This is a rare opportunity to shape the future of a significant property in that it has been at the heart of Shepherdstown for generations. By stepping forward now, we keep decisions about the future of the property where they belong — with our residents — and we protect the things that make this town special, including the Town Run.”
According to the statement, the Town plans to study the property carefully and weigh a range of options for its future uses — including such options as adaptive reuse and redevelopment of the building, co-development with one or more partners or a future sale subject to restrictions that reflect the community’s priorities.
School Board Benefits From Sale
The 8.2 acre property is located just outside of the Town’s boundaries on South Church Street. Earlier this year Jefferson County Schools opened the new Shepherdstown Elementary School facility to replace the building on South Church Street. The construction of the new building was approved several years ago when the facility on South Church Street was evaluated as too costly to renovate to meet the current standards set by the state for elementary school buildings. According to the joint statement, proceeds from the sale will support the Board’s ongoing obligations and priorities.
Dr. Chuck Bishop, Superintendent of Jefferson County Schools said in the statement “We are pleased to reach an agreement that serves the interests of our students and taxpayers while honoring the building’s place in the Shepherdstown community. Transferring the property to the Town of Shepherdstown ensures it will continue to benefit local residents.”
