The Butler County Board of Education took another step toward securing the deed to two properties deeded to the State of Alabama in the 1930s.

At its February meeting, the BOE approved a pair of resolutions to have the Starlington and the Reid Hill properties transferred from the state to the BOE, which is necessary for the BOE to sell the properties. Both properties are located in Georgiana.

“There has been expressed interest in one of these pieces of properties for it to be purchased,” President Joe Lisenby said.

“This is the procedure that we have to go through to get it back in our name so we can do that.

“We hope that someone will come along and want the other piece of property here soon.”

Along with approval of the resolutions, the board discussed a request by Georgiana School head football coach David Watts for the Georgiana football team to be able to use the band room in the old high school as a dressing room.

“Coach Watts had a need to use the band room property as his dressing room field house for football,” Superintendent Darren Douthitt said.

“I wanted to take the opportunity to speak to you all about that matter with the understanding that we should give coach Watts and the football team the opportunity to claim that property and seek the proper renovations for it to make it their own as a field house.”

After further inspection of the band room, Douthitt and Lisenby both said the band room itself does not need much renovation but the visitor’s accommodations need much improvement.

“I think the band room can be converted easily into a suitable dressing room for the Georgiana team without a great deal of expense,” Lisenby said.

“There is a lot of work that needs to be done in the visiting facility that’s used as a dressing room. I hope that that can be done because it desperately needs it, particularly in the restroom areas of that building.”

As for the band room, Douthitt said the main thing that needs to be done is transforming the floor into a rubber surface for the use of cleats.

“They have a need for a practice field that would be adjacent to that facility,” Douthitt said.

“There are some improvements necessary for that field. We would ask that the other accommodations for our visitors, some work be done to make that facility suitable for our visitors.”

As for the money to make this project happen, Lisenby said the Superintendent thinks he can find money without having to borrowing it from anybody.

“It is something that is desperately needed on property that is ours and that we use,” Lisenby said.”

Douthitt will now work with others to create a plan of action for securing that property as the dressing room and making the appropriate changes to bring the accommodations up to standards and also make sure the visitors have appropriate facilities.