Peters School Board agrees to pursue buying Rolling Hills
Peters Township School Board agreed Monday to pursue money from the state so it can partner with the township to explore the purchase of some, or all, of the now-closed 190-acre Rolling Hills Country Club on East McMurray Road.
As part of the possible acquisition, the board engaged Hayes Design Group Architects of Bridgeville to prepare necessary paperwork for the district to apply for PlanCon C funding from the state.
Whenever a school district undertakes a large construction project and seeks reimbursement from the state, PlanCon – a term for planning and construction – is initiated said Shelly Belcher, a district spokesperson.
It justifies the project to the public and ensures compliance with the state and determines the amount the district can be reimbursed, she said.
Earlier this month, Peters Township Council agreed to meet with financial advisers to begin exploring ways to finance the purchase of the club.
The township said it would like to use the land for recreational purposes, such as a public park.
Rolling Hills closed in late December and is in the process of being purchased by a consortium of developers, including the principals of Horizon Properties, a major developer at Southpointe.
The purchase price of the country club is between $9 million and $10 million, Peters Township officials have said.
The school board approved hiring attorney William Bresnahan as special counsel. Bresnahan’s $385 per hour rate is being split with the township, who agreed to hire the attorney last week.
The school board is eyeing the land as a potential site for a new high school. Peters Township High School, built in the 1960s, has under gone various repairs in recent years totalling around $500,000.
“It is still in the preliminary stage,” said Thomas McMurray, the board president about the district’s interest in the property.