GARDEN CITY — Got any ideas as to what to do with an 1932 school house in need of major repairs? The Garden City Town Council would love to hear them.

At the council’s workshop meeting Monday night, the council and community members toured the former Garden City Elementary School, which became the town’s property in the 2020 session of the Alabama General Assembly. They noted the building’s historic features, its beautiful woodwork and single-plank wood framing the stage. Almost everyone on the town council attended the school at some point – before it closed at the end of the 2015 school year – and they shared memories from that time.

But, at the town council meeting following the tour, all agreed that the school needs major repair work beyond what the town can do. “There’s just nothing good there,” said Mayor Pro Tem Scott Arnold. “I just don’t know what to do there.”

Councilman Butch Bradford agreed. “To me, it’s a money pit and a liability unless we can find somebody that wants to do something with it,” he said.

Mayor Tim Eskew is hoping there is someone out there who has a vision of what the property could be. “If we could find someone who’s interested who has an idea – a vision – of the way they could see it, that might be the best benefit for that building right now,” he said.

They briefly discussed the possibility of selling the property, but under the legislation that transferred ownership from the Cullman County School Board to the town, the town is prohibited from selling the school and it must be used for “the benefit and use of the public.” Council members said they’d heard suggestions that included a long-term lease for a restaurant or entertainment venue or a community center.

“We need to entertain ideas anyone comes up with to figure out what we can do to make it work,” said Eskew.

They agreed to reach out to Cullman Economic Development to get ideas on how the building can be used and who might be interested in using it.

“Right now we have limited options and few ideas,” said Bradford.

Another town property found a new use Monday night. The council approved a lease request from Keith Sanders to rent a house owned by the town. Sanders will pay $300 per month for the property and be responsible for water and power. He intends to use the house as a thrift shop/boutique.

“I think it will be something wonderful for the city,” he said.

The council also approved a motion to declare a gooseneck trailer and Hummer as surplus and sell them, along with a truck and some generators already surplussed, on GovDeals.com.