The Board of Commissioners voted Tuesday to move forward with the purchase of the Cousins Community Center for $1.5 million pending appraisals of the property, buildings, environment and utility consumption over the coming months.

The county currently rents the buildings on the 27.4 acre lot for the 911 center and other services, and would likely pay several million if it had to relocate those facilities, according to County Attorney Tommy Craig.

If the county does not go through with the purchase of the property after performing due diligence, it could continue to rent it for $11,425 a month for the next eight years, totaling more than $1 million.

United Bank has offered 20-year financing, with a 3.98 percent interest rate the first five years; capped interest of 7.99 percent the second five years, and market rate for the final ten.

Cousins, a former black school and later the county’s first integrated school, was sold by the Board of Education to the Arnold Fund for about $12,000 in the late nineties.  The center is currently owned by Cousins Community Center Inc., a 501c3.

Eds note: This story has been updated to reflect the current owner of Cousins Community Center, and remove any allegations through citizen comments.