BRISTOL, Tenn. (WJHL) — The Bristol, Tennessee Board of Education postponed a vote to accept ownership of a city-owned facility on Melrose Street.

The property, located at 511-515 Melrose Street, was purchased by the city in 2022 for a new recreation center. City and school officials have been in talks about the school system’s use of the facility by the school system’s athletic teams.

In May, the school board and administration informed the City Council that until an agreement was reached regarding the Melrose facility, they would not be signing a separate agreement regarding the renovation of Tod Houston Field for use by the Bristol State Liners and Tennessee High School baseball team.

Last week, the City Council passed a resolution authorizing the transfer of the Melrose property to the school system.

A resolution to accept the transfer of ownership was on the agenda for Monday night’s school board meeting, but a vote on it was postponed until it could be studied further.

“I think the board just wants to do their due diligence and ensure that we’re being responsible with taxpayer money and ensuring that we utilize our funds to have the best resources for our kids and that we’re responsible with those decisions,” Director of Schools Annette Tudor said. “So we’ll we’ll take our time and ensure that we have all the information that we need to make the best decision.”

Tudor said accepting ownership of and renovating the building is the most cost-effective option.