By Carson Lambert

clambert@civitasmedia.com

Dr. Bobby McBride, right foreground, displays the layout of his proposed dental office for the town council. The office would be approximately 3,800 square feet and would feature nine operatories.
https://www.newberryobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/web1_McBride-pro.jpgDr. Bobby McBride, right foreground, displays the layout of his proposed dental office for the town council. The office would be approximately 3,800 square feet and would feature nine operatories. Carson Lambert | The Newberry Observer

LITTLE MOUNTAIN — With a unanimous vote, Little Mountain Town Council approved the sale of a land parcel to Dr. Bobby McBride, pending agreement upon price, at their meeting Tuesday.

McBride, who currently resides in Chapin, has practiced dentistry for roughly 40 years in numerous places across the state including Greenwood and Hilton Head and now desires to begin a new practice with the construction of an office on Mill Street in downtown Little Mountain.

Councilman Marty Frick said to McBride, although he is not overly familiar with the business of dentistry, from a building standpoint he appreciates “the manner in which you’re going about helping us grow our community.”

The office would be approximately 3,800 square feet and would contain nine operatories — four for the dentist, four for hygienists and one overflow.

McBride said he plans to equip about half the rooms at the start and outfit the rest as the business grows.

Following his tenure in dentistry, McBride delved into a smorgasbord of secondary careers including golf course ownership, contracting with the federal government and home building, both domestically and abroad.

However, he decided retirement just wasn’t for him.

“I guess I’m just sort of addicted to work,” he said.

After practicing dentistry for so long he said it has become a part of him and, furthermore, he said he’s good at it.

His assessment of his professional prowess does not arise from a sense of inflated ego but rather, as he said, “If you go to a dentist and he can’t say that he’s good at it, change dentists.”

McBride plans to work 60 to 70 hours per week, a key, he said, to building a successful practice.

“There’s not but two ways you can make more money,” he recalled lecturing to a group of seniors at the University of Georgia. “One is you have to know how to do more procedures and the other is you have to go to work more often and stay longer.”

A simple concept but one McBride said many young dentists shy away from instead electing to work under 40 hours per week.

“My nephew told me, ‘If I work on Friday my wife would kill me,’ I said, ‘Tell her to buy a gun,’” he said.

As far as the transfer of the property is concerned town attorney Kyle Parker said there are two main options — a ground lease or an outright sale.

While Parker said a ground lease in and of itself is “not objectionable,” it could result in numerous complications.

In this scenario the town would retain ownership of the property and the office would be considered an improvement.

Following the end of the lease, the terms of which would be subject to negotiation, any improvements made could possibly become the property of the land owner said Parker.

Additionally, if McBride should default in any way due to unforeseen circumstances it would be reasonable to assume he would want remunerations for the improvements, which would fall on the town.

“Two problems with that,” Parker said. “First whatever that number is it’s going to be more than what you have to pay, and two, it would be more than what you all could politically get away with agreeing to.”

Parker listed the only pros of the ground lease option as a steady stream of rent income and the town receiving improvements at the expiration of the lease.

“With the ground lease there are way, way too many things, in my opinion, that we’d have to negotiate around and too many variables that could cost us,” Parker said.

By contrast he said selling outright is, “certainly the cleanest way to do it.”

As soon as the deed is signed the deal would be complete and any complications thereafter would fall on McBride, the new owner of the property.

“The upshot of that is the town doesn’t have any further liability as it relates to Dr. McBride’s activities going forward,” Parker said.

However, to protect the town’s interests, such as ensuring that McBride actually follows through with his stated intentions, it is possible to impose conditions on the deed.

Speaking hypothetically Parker said, “We’re giving you the deed, this is your property, but you can only use this property for a dentist office and if the use of the property ever turns into anything else the title reverts back to the town.”

This is called a reverter clause and, in addition to the land, would also include any improvements.

Following this information McBride stated he is only interested in buying the property outright and he has himself always had reservations regarding leasing.

A motion to sell was initiated by Councilman Frick and seconded by Councilman Jeff Jefcoat with all in favor. Mayor Jana Jayroe abstained from voting.

Again, this approval is contingent upon the agreement of a price as of yet to be determined and McBride said he desires to break ground as soon as the deal is finalized.

Reach Carson Lambert at 803-276-0625, ext. 1868, or on Twitter @TheNBOnews.