NORTH MANCHESTER - The town of North Manchester will soon take over ownership of the old Thomas Marshall Elementary School on Bond Street in North Manchester.

The old school is owned by Manchester Community Schools and is occupied by the North Manchester Town Life Center. The historic building is used for various community activities and the Town Life Center has occupied the building for a decade.

"The school board continues to be supportive of the plans for the Town Life Center but has concluded that it desires to contribute the building near the end of the current lease (end of December)," Jim Garber, Town Life Center planning committee member, said Wednesday at the town council meeting. "We've been in that building for a decade thanks to the school board, (and we've) come to some conclusions about that space."

Garber described to council members several renovations for the building. In August, the future for the building was not known. It was possible that the old building would be torn down and rebuilt.

But at Wednesday's town council meeting, Garber told board members the Town Life Center committee wants to restore the historic building.

"When we started the process, we thought we would tear it down," Garber said. But a large number of people in the town "felt this historic building should be saved."

Some renovations Garber and the Town Life Center planning committee would like to do include: adding an elevator, replacing old windows, updating the heating system and adding air conditioning, remodeling the bathrooms, revising the upstairs to allow room for offices, eventually adding a child care facility and repairing brick work on the upper portions of the building.

"If there's one thing we're weak on in this town, it's park space," board member Warren Garner said. He said he didn't want the opportunity to take ownership of the historic building to slip away.

"This is such a unique asset to the town," board vice president Stan Escott said. "I think we do need to take action."

Council members endorsed Garber and the TLC planning committee's proposal. Board president Don Rinearson said they are ready to move into the next phase. The school board and town council will have to adopt the same resolution, Rinearson said. The school board meets Dec. 19 and the town council meets Dec. 20, so the process of transferring ownership is on its way.

"We certainly want to maintain this facility," Rinearson said. "We do want your group to continue on with the leadership role."

"I think we all are willing," Garber said.

In other business:

• North Manchester Chief of Police Linda L. Learned requested approval to add Mandy Wilson to the reserve unit. She said Wilson's appointment would bring the reserve unit to full force. Council members approved Learned's request.

• Bernie Ferringer, plan commissioner, will resign his position at the end of the year. Town manager Dan Hannaford said he's been working with Ferringer and public works superintendent John Mugford to revise the plan commissioner job description. He requested approval for the position to change from a flat salary pay to an hourly rate. Board members approved the job description change for the plan commissioner.

• The next town council meeting is set for Dec. 20 at 7 p.m. at the public safety building, Main Street.

The North Manchester Town Council includes: president Don Rinearson, vice president Stan Escott, clerk-treasurer Nancy Reed, town manager Dan Hannaford, public works superintendent John Mugford, Karl Merritt, Warren Garner, Charles Tiede and Bill Hix. [[In-content Ad]]