• Minutes requested of a Jan. 16 closed session in which commissioners discussed an appraisal and sale of the Department of Aging building in Whiteville have not been released but the appraisal has.

By NICOLE CARTRETTE
Staff Writer

A sale may be in the Columbus County Department of Aging’s future.

The estimated fair market value of the senior center headquarters in Whiteville is $475,000 to $500,000, according to an appraisal prepared by local broker and appraiser Lacy Wilson.

The department’s buildings are situated on 1.12 acres at the corner of Washington Street and Legion Drive in Whiteville. The lot is a portion of a 30-acre tract of county-owned land.

The current tax value for the buildings is listed at $134,500.

The county released the appraisal on Monday, weeks after it was first requested on Jan. 22.

On Monday, an employee in the county administration office contacted The News Reporter to notify them that an envelope was left at the administration office. Inside the envelope was a copy of a 19-page real estate appraisal report, addressed to Department of Aging Director Ed Worley.

Last Monday, Commissioner James Prevatte hand-delivered a memo to The News Reporter. The memo acknowledged an appraisal existed and stated that County Attorney Steve Fowler had been directed to release the information.

“However, Mr. Fowler and County Manager Jim Varner are out of their offices due to illness,” the memo read. “Mr. Fowler also serves as the county’s public information officer and has been directed to release this information and all public information requested as soon as possible.”

Commissioners James Prevatte, Ronald Gore, and Ricky Bullard signed the document.

Last week, County Attorney Steve Fowler told The News Reporter his office was not the only means of obtaining a copy of the public record.

Dodging a direct answer to the question “Do you have a copy of any appraisal in your possession?” Fowler finally responded that he was not aware of any appraisals.

Fowler also told The News Reporter that a request for closed session minutes from Jan. 16 could not be released until the commissioners voted to release the minutes.

“We’ve been down this road before,” Attorney Amanda Martin with the N.C. Press Association and firm of Everett, Gaskins, Hancock and Stevens said. “Minutes do not need approval before being released.”

Fowler argues otherwise.

The News Reporter learned a real estate appraisal had been conducted on the Department of Aging Building in Whiteville and sale of the building had been discussed in closed session.

At that time sources said the hospital was interested in purchasing the property. The News Reporter later learned that the Columbus County Community Health Center was interested in the property, not Columbus Regional.

Martin said discussing the sale of property in a closed session is no exception to the N.C. Open Meetings Law.