We, the undersigned residents, taxpayers, and community members of Burke County, North Carolina, formally petition the Burke County Board of Education to immediately pause the execution of the $246,000 demolition contract for the old Chesterfield Elementary School building located on Pax Hill Road.

While we recognize the Board’s fiduciary duty to protect public school funding and prevent real estate from being utilized by competing K-12 charter or private school entities, destroying a 90-year-old community landmark without exploring non-educational preservation options is a disservice to Burke County taxpayers.

We respectfully demand a 90-day administrative stay on all demolition activities to allow the community, local preservationists, and potential private buyers to achieve the following:
Implement Deed Restrictions: We support the inclusion of a legally binding, permanent deed restriction on the property that strictly prohibits the site from ever being operated as a K-12 school. This completely eliminates the threat of charter school competition while saving taxpayers $246,000 in demolition fees.

County Transfer Exploration: We urge the Board of Education to collaborate with the Burke County Board of Commissioners to evaluate if the county can assume ownership of the site for public parks, emergency services, or community use.

Private Non-Educational Bidding: We request the property be put on the open market "as-is" with the aforementioned school-use restriction, turning a costly $246,000 demolition liability back into a revenue-generating property sale for the school district.

Chesterfield Elementary is a cornerstone of our local history. We urge the Board to reconsider the 5–2 vote, listen to the fiscal and historical concerns raised by board members Reid Beck and Sonya Rockett, and grant the community a brief window to save this landmark at zero risk to our public school system.