Board OKs sale of former Verity School to church

Twenty five years ago, 17 people started a church in the basement of a Springboro home.

Today, Berachah Church has 500 members and worships in Middletown High School, but thats going to change after the Middletown City Schools District board of education voted 4 to 1, with Katie McNeil casting the no vote, to sell the former Verity Middle School and surrounding 60 acres to Berachah for $293,000, or 40 percent of its appraised value.

McNeil wanted to sell the school, but not all the acreage, she said.

More money was her reason, she said.

When the district held a public auction on Dec. 17 for the property at 1900 Johns Road, Berachah bid $293,000 for all three parcels, $3,000 more than the Performing Arts Academy, said George Long, district business manager. The property was appraised at $740,000, he said.

By selling the property, Long said the district wont have to demolish the school at a cost of $330,000 and that money can be used renovating Middletown High School and building a middle school. He said if the school was demolished, the 60 acres would be appraised at $250,000.

About 50 Berachah Church members stayed throughout the two-hour meeting until the board voted on the proposal. When it was announced the property was sold, there was a loud cheer in the council chambers.

During his address to board members, Lamar Ferrell, pastor of Berachah, thanked them for allowing the church to fulfill its vision and dream.

We are here to shine our light, he said. But its not our light. Its the light God put inside us. We believe in this community.

Then he added: The best is yet to come.

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Board OKs sale of former Verity School to church