ANSON — At Tuesday’s Commissioner’s meeting, Anson County Planning Director Nick Addison explained he was tasked by several of the commissioners with finding out about some of the county’ surplus properties and what steps, if any, that can be taken to make them viable, profitable properties for the community again. Following his presentation, the Board voted to sell the old EMS Department and Water Department properties.
Addison says he and the County Manager Leonard Sossoman, and Facilities Director Wendell Smalls, identified five properties in the county for sale or outright disposal: the AA Center, the Anson EMS and Inspections facility, the Farmer’s Market, the old hospital, and the old Water Department buildings.
“What we did was identify some of the criteria that these properties currently have, you know, their square footage, their assessed value, their access to water and sewer, different things that may or may not make them marketable, as well as any particular issues that may impact their disposal,” he said. “In particular, regarding the AA Center and the Farmer’s Market, there are current leases tied to those facilities, so that would be something to contend with. The EMS and Inspections Facility on McLaurin Street, I had made a note that the Health Department was storing some material there. They are in the process of currently relocating those supplies, so that should no longer be an issue.”
According to the 2018 appraisal of the EMS building, Addison says it is currently valued at $189,300.
“As you know we are going through the 2026 reappraisal, but those numbers have not been established yet,” he said.
Given the building’s current structural condition, he cautioned commissioners it will be exceedingly difficult to reach a sale anywhere near the estimated value.
The 2018 appraisal conducted on the old Water Department facility lists the property value at $192,800, and the land value of the old hospital alone as $152,600. He warned the amount does not include the old Elections building. When added in, Addison says a reasonable estimate for the property would then be $145,000.
Addison added that some materials are also being stored at the prior site of the Water Department.
“That is something that may need addressing or those personal items need to be disposed of as well,” he said.
Wendell Smalls who was also present for the meeting, backed up Addison, saying, “These facilities are old, they have a lot of maintenance needs to keep them up. A lot of them have seen better days.”
Smalls acknowledged the Farmer’s Market and AA Recovery Building both have current leases, and regarding the AA building, he reminded commissioners the Board of Elections often uses the building as a polling station. For those reasons, Smalls said the county may not want to dispose of the AA facility.
If making the decision himself, Smalls says his number one property to slate for disposal or sale is the old EMS building. He reminded commissioners EMS and DEC eventually moved out of the building, citing concerns about the building’s structural integrity and maintenance.
When it comes to the former Water Department site, Smalls confirmed surplus materials are being stored there.
“The old Water Department, which is also being used for surplus; for furniture, evidence for the sheriff’s office and some of the Water Department’s equipment is still located in those buildings. The issue with that property, other than having the surplus materials there, we also have an underground storage tank that would have to be removed prior to sale.”
Smalls added, “Currently we are in the process of emptying that tank, but we can only empty it out as we fill up vehicles. It is going to take a while before we get it empty.”
When questioned further by commissioners, Smalls said, “Last estimate there was three thousand gallons of gas left in the tank. We are going through it as fast as we can. I am going to say a couple of months [to use it], that is my goal.”
Asked by Commissioner Robert Mims, Smalls confirmed he was given an estimate of $30,000 to remove the gasoline tank. He added there could be an additional cost for soil remediation after the fact, for example, if a leak should occur or be found during the removal process of the tank.
Smalls said, “The state does have a trust fund for tank removal and remediation. We should be able to tap into that trust fund.”
Answering Commissioner Joshua Ellerbe, Smalls confirmed the trust from the state would cover 80% of the cost of the tank removal and remediation process should the county move forward in pursuing and obtaining funding from the state trust.
Smalls said the only reason he considered the Farmer’s Market property as attractive for destruction is because its need of repairs is great, and he hopes the market might wish to purchase the property from the county and handle the needed repairs themselves.
Chairperson Jamie Caudle said, “I think that would be the only option I would support for the Farmer’s Market. Whether the Farmer’s Market wanted to form a group together to purchase it or we maintain it- I do not want to see the Farmer’s Market go away.”
Caudle added his agreement with Small’s assessment the EMS building and old Water Department facility are the county’s two best options currently for moving forward with disposal.
Following the presentation, Commissioner Joshua Ellerbe declared, “I make a motion that we put those properties up for surplus that they have recommended to us — the old Water Department and the old EMS.”
When Mims questioned if the Board could legally move forward with the sale of the old Water Department facility given the presence of an active gasoline tank in the ground, Ellerbe amended his motion to state the county will sell the property once the tank is removed from the site.
Commissioner Lawrence Gatewood seconded Ellerbe’s motion.
The motion to sell the old EMS and Water Department facility passed with no dissent.