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Board agrees to sell historic Moton Center

The School District and the agency that runs Head Start compromise on the price, settling on $400,000 in 90 days.

BROOKSVILLE - Head Start is staying put.

After talking about it for nearly two years, the School Board reached a tentative deal Tuesday to sell the historic Robert R. Moton Early Intervention Center to Mid-Florida Community Services for $400,000.

The amount isn't exactly what the board wanted, having originally advertised the site for $1-million. But it's more than the $300,000 that Mid-Florida first offered, and it allows the buildings - once the county's black high school during segregation - to remain a social hub for the south Brooksville community.

"We're looking at all aspects to enhance it for the community," Mid-Florida executive director Michael Georgini told the board.

He added that his group would seek grants to improve the site, where Mid-Florida intends to stay as long as possible offering social services. Some board members had speculated that the campus could be attractive to a manufacturing company if better marketed as located in the county's enterprise zone.

For a while, in fact, board member Gail David suggested that Mid-Florida's offer was a "drop in the bucket," especially in light of the district's investment in new air conditioning equipment and its virtual donation of rent. At market value, she said, the lease would have cost $115,200 a year; Mid-Florida paid $1.

"We do not know what that building could bring to us, other than it has been appraised for $1-million," David said.

She, like others on the board, was not willing to accept Mid-Florida's latest offer of $375,000 in 90 days or $400,000 in two years. But David agreed to accept a compromise of $400,000 to close in 90 days.

Georgini, sensing the board's unwillingness to wait two years or to go less than $400,000, ditched the offer to seal the agreement.

"If $400,000 is what the board wants in 90 days, I can do that," he said, noting that the agency had a letter of credit from SunTrust Bank.

Any dissent dissipated quickly after, and the board directed its lawyer, Karen Gaffney, to draw up a contract for final approval in two weeks. Because Mid-Florida's annual lease expires before the expected closing date, the board also agreed to extend its rental agreement month to month until the sale is complete.

- Jeffrey S. Solochek can be reached at 352 754-6115 or at solochek@sptimes.com