By Beth Cassidy
Enterprise Record

Members of the Davie Board of Education approved the architect for renovations at Cooleemee Elementary and requests for quotes for renovations at Davie High and a facilities assessment, but they continue to dig in their heels when it comes to letting go of the Farmington Road land.
At their meeting Oct. 4, a request to terminate the lease agreement on the 53-acre proposed high school site died for lack of a motion. The county has asked the school board to consider terminating the lease and has proposed using the land for a park.
Barbara Owens said because the board doesn’t yet have a long-range facilities plan, it makes sense to hold onto the land.
“We don’t have a facilities plan, and we have a lease on the land until 2030. I feel it’s in the best interest for us to maintain and keep this property for education,” she said.
Discussion on the lease came after Hartness told the board the land adjacent to Davie High is for sale.
The approximately eight-acre site is owned by the Moose Lodge and is being offered for $599,000. It has a tax value of $837,056 but was offered for sale for $400,000 about 18 months ago, according to Chad Fuller.
Renegar said of the eight acres, only two to three are usable because of the slope. “A goat can’t stand on it,” he said. “There are only two or three acres we could use without spending a ton of money on grading.”
But price and topography …