Chesterfield County Council has offered to buy the Palmetto Learning Center from the Chesterfield County School District for $152,000.

County Council made its offer Jan. 5 following a two-hour executive session. The county is considering converting the old armory building on Watson Street in Chesterfield into a new Sheriff's Department. The armory is used now by the school district as an alternative school.

The county owns the property surrounding the building, and by moving the Sheriff's Department from the County Courthouse to the old armory building, the department would have access to a motor pool, indoor firing range, classrooms, offices and more storage space.

Chesterfield County's interim school superintendent, Dr. John Williams, did not say when the school board would make a decision on the offer. The school board is scheduled to meet next Monday and may discuss it as part of a contractual matter in executive session.

Williams said his recommendation if the school board does approve moving forward with the sell would be to relocate the students from the Palmetto Learning Center into the existing Edwards Elementary School building.

Students attending Edwards Elementary located on Edwards Road in Chesterfield will be moving in August 2006 into a new building along S.C. Highway 9 in Chesterfield.

Although both councils have spoken openly about the possible sale in meetings, the majority of the discussion occur behind closed doors because it is a contractual matter.