BUCKHANNON – The Upshur County Commission recently voted to look for a local nonprofit interested in utilizing the Hampton Community Building.

The commission learned the building was deeded over to them during the Oct. 7 Upshur County Commission meeting when Upshur County Administrator Carrie Wallace explained what had transpired.

“In May 2001, this property was deeded over to the Hampton Community Church trustees for use as a community building, and part of the deed states that it ‘shall be used for purposes of establishing and maintaining a community building for the benefit of those persons living and residing in the Hampton, West Virginia area,’” Wallace said.

However, if the trustees are no longer using the property as a community center or for community purposes, “then said land and real estate shall revert to the county commission,” Wallace added.

The commissioners were given three choices: keep the property, lease it to a nonprofit agency or sell it via auction.

“As Senator Hamilton mentioned earlier today, a lot of these community buildings are experiencing financial issues, and we were contacted earlier this year by one of the United Methodist trustees, advising they would like to turn the property back over the county commission, and that was complete in June,” Wallace said. “It’s time to make a decision as far as what you would like to do with the property.”

The property, which is located on the Hampton Road off Sago and Ivanhoe roads, consists of .492 acres and the structure that made up the community building.

“We did have communication with what we thought, at the time, was a nonprofit agency; however, since then we have received information and determined they are not a nonprofit, and therefore are not eligible to lease the property,” Wallace said. “We really haven’t publicized the fact we have this property available, so I haven’t been contacted by anyone else.”

Upshur County Commissioner Sam Nolte made a motion to evaluate the property at the end of the year and see if any nonprofit organizations express interest in the property.

“I personally would like to keep the property and see if there is a nonprofit that needs the space,” Nolte said. “If we get to the end of the year and no one expresses interest, I’m sure there are landowners out there that would be interested.”

The motion passed unanimously.