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Thomas: Schools Won’t Lease Old Century High To Church For $1 Per Year Anymore
May 27, 2009
(Updated 9:00 a.m.) Escambia School Superintendent Malcolm Thomas does not intend to allow New Life Baptist Church to continue to lease the old Century High School for $1 per year. He’s offering to lease the building to the church for as much as just over $150,000 per year.
Over the past years, New Life has paid just $5 — at $1 per year — to lease the 30,327 square foot building under a lease executed by former Superintendent Jim Paul.
“One dollar per year is just unacceptable,” Thomas told NorthEscambia.com. “I can tell you that we will not be leasing buildings for $1 per year. It’s not right to the taxpayers.”
In a recent letter to the pastor of New Life Baptist Church, Rev. Irvin Stallworth (pictured left), Thomas details the options he is offering the church.
Thomas has offered to rent the building to New Life for $5 per square foot, far below the $10 to $15 per square foot he says similar buildings would cost in monthly rent. The reduced rate, his letter says, is because of the “location, age and configuration of the facility.” At $5 per square foot, the 30,327 square foot building would cost the church $12,636.25 per month, or $151,635 per year of a five year lease.
“Of course, if you are able to adapt your program to use less square footage, the rent would go down accordingly,” the letter says. “We would be glad to work with you to determine a combination of square footage and rent that can accommodate your needs. Whatever the church decides, a new agreement is to be in effect by October 1. If they remain in the building, they will not have to pay a deposit since they are existing tenants, the letters says.
“We are exploring this now to give him plenty of time to consider his options,” Thomas said.
Stallworth told NorthEscambia.com that the church is exploring its options and will discuss them in an upcoming church business meeting.
“We have not finished our discussions or reached a decision at this point,” the pastor said. “We want to look at all of our options.”
Besides the increased $5 per square foot rent, New Life Baptist has one other option to remain in the building — purchase it. Thomas told NorthEscambia.com that he would be happy to sell the building to the church at a fair price that would be determined by an appraisal.
“I would like to get out of the landlord business,” Thomas said. “I would rather sell it.”
“All of this is to protect the taxpayers’ investment,” he added.
Pictured above: The old Century High School building that New Life Baptist Church has leased for $1 per year for the last five year. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Comments
13 Responses to “Thomas: Schools Won’t Lease Old Century High To Church For $1 Per Year Anymore”
The negative comments are distaseful to the children who reads this, I am offended by the comments that are used to discussed a matter in a professional way. How can the children believe us, when we protray ourselves in such a manner?
To Pensacola, I’ll bet your one of those who voted for the homestead to be raised to 50,000. And now we all suffer.but then again I wonder do you even live around here. because if you do, then why would you critize everthing, I guess it would be much better if twice a day the fire dept had to go out. You know, it dont sound very good to act like you’d like the fire dept. called more often.And as for the e-cat 95 to 98 % of it is used down there to run people back and forth to the malls, so be it .They “pensacola’ pays the bigest amount,. use it or they’ll loose it. I unlike you am glad these people have it, and I’ll bet they “the one who use it” dont pay the taxes you want them to pay.
Lets see….a simple search on Chris Jones website shows that the majority of homes in Century are substandard and dont meet the fifty thousand homestead ,so they are exempt. Which means NO TAXES. Yet the county will run a ECAT bus up there for 14.00 per rider county cost (not yours) . You have a full time fire dept paid for by the county that have hardly any calls. ECSO supplies you with law enforcement and cant get any money out of you….shall we go on?
To century, Do you think we in century don’t pay the same taxes as people in brat walnut hill,and milino pay. YES, and I think you need to put that line to bed.That is MY taxes too that pay for these thing. WE are in escambia county also. List what taxes you THINK you pay, we don’t? And why should we pay for you and not recive?
Here we go again…somebody in poor old Century wanting something for nothing. I’ve never figured out why they incorporated when they still after all these years dont provide services that any “town” should. Mooch off the taxpayers of escambia county while providing no taxes. When are you going to pay the back bill for police protection provided by the county? If it were not for the prison you would be sunk.
OK let me get this straight. Its not right to the tax payers for a church to use this building for $1.00 a year, BUT it is RIGHT for the ERML to PAY $1.00 to the county to use “TAX PAYERS” county land as a shooting range????? This is bs IF i EVER HEARD IT. For many years the county owned land on RockyBranch has been used by Jim Barnett and his “club” a “FOR PROFIT” organization for only $1.00 a year. Now tell me the “good ole boys” aint at it again. To Mr. Stallworth and your church, I for one apologize for the corrupt good ole boys we have governing our county and Country. Another situation where children COULD HAVE benefitted TAKEN AWAY!!!!!!!!!!!
The Lord has blessed our community with many programs offered at New Life Baptist Church as well as other churches- that is correct. New Life Baptist is offering so many activities and services for people in the north end of the county whether or not one is a member.
In case one may not know…here are a few of the things going on…
The Dolly Parton “Imagination Library” reading party for children.
Angel Food MInistry, other food ministry programs,a prison ministry, a clothing closet that is available for anyone. The clothing closet is so great if you haven’t been there…if someone has a job interview and needs something to wear, it is a great place to go and get what you need! Computer classes are offered. There is “movie night” which is a lot of fun to go and watch good, Christian, family movies for free…and its on a big screen! And now, “Youthspace” is opening this saturday to give young people something to do and help them to learn that you can have fun serving the Lord and “cool” at the same time!
God is good! And we are fortunate to have churches doing things in this community for the people! May God continue to bless the area churches and be with New Life Baptist Church as it continues to do the Lord’s work.
The building was empty and had been for years, and New Life asked for it.
It’s great that New Life offers all of these programs, but how does that qualify them for a building for $1 per year? Churches serve their communities. They almost all do. Abundant Life offers free meals. Others offer classes. Others offer free clothes. Others offer and endless list of free programs.
None of these other churchs look to the school board to subsizedize them. They Lord blesses them with the money to provide their programs and help their fellow man. Why should New Life qualifty to use a county building and the others don’t?
Obviously there is a lot of confusion over the Old High School Building and New Life Church.
First, Terry Sanders is correct on several points as is escambiacitizen;
The Molino School Complex consisted of over 9 acres of land and seven buildings, only one of which was of a similar age to the old Century high school building which sits on 1.5 to 2 acres. That property did in fact sell to the county for $400,000.00.
Escambia county has announced plans to turn it (the Molino school complex) into a community center of sorts (again, at taxpayer expense).
On the other hand, New Life Baptist Church has developed numerous community outreach programs; granted some of which are not known of by of the citizens of the area, but many are (there are people from Jay, Pensacola, Brewton, and Walnut Hill who come – and at no cost them individually, or to the taxpayer. The New Life building was built in 1938 (it is 72 years OLD). I think the public got its money’s worth out of it as a school – especially when compared to the virtually new Carver-Century school that is now being closed (the elementary school was also Century’s only designated storm shelter.)
New Life Church has WiFi – and much more.
There is a computer lab (with 18 flat-screen Dell computers) that are used to offer basic computer instruction, and there are instructors who teach “office” applications such as spreadsheet, word processing, presentations, email, and database programming. Classes are held on Saturday’s beginning at 11:30 AM.
This summer there will be as Terri suggested, “entrepreneur” or business startup classes taught there. (The Town has had a small business “incubator” for nearly 10 years that has never been open as such, or had a tenant (????)) [I think Terri Sanders would make a good manager-director of that incubator] Entrepreneur Classes are open discussion and include more advanced computer instruction such as budgeting and planning. The classes will officially begin on Saturday June 6th at Noon.
Previously, there was an EVEN-START program to help young parents. This program is to be expanded and will include GED instruction via the Florida Virtual School System.
There are three [THREE] food distribution programs for seniors, those out-of-work and poor. (call New Life Church at 256-5696 for more information)
This Saturday the church will be opening YOUTHSPACE.US – a community activity center for young people, young adults, and teens. Video games like Wii, and Xbox; motivational speakers; table tennis, basket ball (not in the gym), movies, and summer camp activities including art, music, sports, and ballet classes will be offered.
There is a Christian Book Library, and even cloths and wedding dresses available.
All of this is at NO COST to the participants, the community or the taxpayers – it is a church; but you DO NOT HAVE TO BE A MEMBER TO access the services, programs, or ministries offered within the community.
From an article on Northescambia……
Escambia Commissioners approved the purchase of the old Molino Elementary School building at their Thursday night meeting, a move that will bring a library and community center to the growing community.
The Escambia County commission approved the purchase of the for $400,000 from the Escambia County School Board.
That is a far cry from 150,000 or $1, the community I am sure if pay for the newness (unlike molino school) the district would talk.
I heartily agree that $ 1.00 per year is far fetched to rent the old Century High School,but not near as far fetched as 150,00.00. Mr.Thomas is right to say that 5.00 per square foot is more than reasonable but not in Century.If he is lucky he MIGHT get 2.00 per square foot..The utilities have to stay on to some degree to preserve the interiors of the building. It would be better to have someone renting the building,so I hope that a mutually agreeable amount will come to pass.After all a reasonable(for this area) rent is better than no rent. Several times Bro.Stallworth held various meetings there amd the presenters paid to use the facilitiy.Maybe the town of Century could buy the building and renovate it for use as a farmer’s market,meeting hall and/ or various other ideas. Let’s see what the old Molino School ends up being sold for to the community.If the town bought it,they could turn around and lease it out to smaller businesses trying to break into the world of being self employed. It could become an asset if handled properly.
Did they ever pay the utility bill they ran up on the school district?