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JACKSON – The Northampton County Board of Commissioners, during their meeting here Jan. 27, approved a request from the town of Seaboard regarding the former Southern Bank building, located on Main Street.

Earlier at their non-voting Jan. 6 commissioner meeting, Seaboard Town Commissioner Al Kwasikpui – in lieu of Seaboard Mayor Geraldine Langford, who could not attend that meeting – requested that the county donate the former bank building to the town.

He explained that they wanted to renovate the vacant building and repurpose it for a space to host activities for senior citizens, youth, and more. He added that they also planned to partner with county organizations, such as the Office of Aging, Cooperative Extension, and the Health Department, to help provide more services to residents in Seaboard and the surrounding area.

“Make this longstanding vacant Main Street building useful to the community and preclude further deterioration of the structure,” he said, reading a letter on behalf of Mayor Langford.

Kwasikpui also noted that the building has withstood storm damage and vandalism, but it continues to deteriorate as it sits vacant.

“We see this is a benefit to the county, in that the county would no longer have to assume these costs [for maintenance] and be responsible for the building,” he continued.

He also emphasized that their request was for the building to be donated to the town. They did not have enough funds to purchase it.

The county acquired the building at no cost in 2020, but has not done anything with the property since then.

Board Chair Ed Martin said he thought the county’s original intention for the building was the same as Seaboard’s idea, but they also didn’t have funds to move forward. But he also noted he was not serving as a commissioner at the time of acquisition.

“Thank you and the town of Seaboard for having a vision,” said Commissioner Kelvin Edwards at the Jan. 6 meeting after Kwasikpui’s presentation.

Representatives from the Town of Seaboard, including Mayor Langford, returned on Jan. 27 to hear the response to their request.

County Attorney Scott McKellar said the county was legally allowed to donate property to municipalities at no cost.

Commissioner Keith Edwards asked if Seaboard would have to pay taxes on the property. Tax Administrator Jaime Mason answered that the building would be exempt.

Martin pointed out that the building changing hands wouldn’t be any different than before in terms of tax revenue, since the county does not pay taxes on property it owns.

Commissioner Melvetta Broadnax Taylor asked Mayor Langford about their plans to pay for the necessary renovations.

She answered that they would seek out grants to help, and they had already started researching for some to submit applications for. But they were waiting to apply until after they owned the building.

Without any further discussion, Kelvin Edwards motioned to approve the request, and Keedra Whitaker seconded. The vote was unanimously in favor.