Jasper council questions selling property to school corporation

“Mayor, what if the council decides that we don’t want to sell any of the land to the school,” Jasper Councilman Kevin Manley asked Mayor Terry Seitz at the end of the council meeting Wednesday evening.

Manley was referring to the city’s purchase of the former Jasper Country Club and the agreement the city informally entered into with the Greater Jasper School Corporation to sell them a portion of the property.

City Attorney Renee Kabrick explained to the council that when the former country club owners approached the city they also approached the school corporation about purchasing the property. Both entities were interested.

“We met [city] with the school and began discussions about whether they would be interested in a cooperative effort to purchase that, rather than fighting over the property,” Kabrick said.

Both sides were interested in working together and that is how the city proceeded with the purchase. In moving forward the two entities each paid for an appraisal of the property — the average of two appraisals is required by law to determine the amount a government unit can pay for real estate.

Kabrick also stated emphatically, “I have no doubt in my mind or there’s never been a change in the position of the city, based on every meeting and every discussion we’ve had with the school; that the city would be willing to sell to the school an amount of property that would not exceed 15 acres, but that amount would be based on what the school’s needs are.”

“When you use the word ‘city’ are you referring to the council,” Manley asked.

Kabrick explained that many individuals were involved in the meetings with the school corporation including city employees and members of the Jasper Redevelopment Commission, the entity responsible for the property.

Manley said that he has had many questions from the community as to why the golf course property cannot remain in its natural state, instead of selling off some of it – that it is most attractive in its natural state as a central park.

“The only question I have is who has the authority to make that authorization,” Manley asked. “The people I’ve talked to have stated they are not in favor of selling that land to the school. My constituents are not in favor. The neighbors to that land have stated they are not in favor.”

The mayor responded to Manley’s questions by reminding him of the executive sessions the council took part in prior to purchase of the land. “You knew exactly what was being set up,” Mayor Seitz said. “We proceeded on the vote to move on the Redevelopment Commissions recommendation to purchase the land. These questions have been answered before and I don’t mind them being answered in public again. But this is exactly what we have talked about since last October one-on-one and in casual conversation.”

Manley referred to the rest of the council and asked them if that is what they understood the agreement to be.

Councilman Randy Buchta stated he  understood the city would purchase the land and then have the portion the school wanted to purchase reappraised before it would be sold to them. “The land the school wants is the best land that is out there,” he said. “My understanding was that what they wanted would be reappraised and then they would pay the average of those appraisals.”

The mayor and city attorney both disagreed with Buchta’s statement. “There’s been no agreement at all with respect to what part of the property will be sold,” Kabrick said.

The redevelopment commission currently is responsible for the status of the property and can determine what portions of the property can be sold and where, but Kabrick stated the council could decide to change who has responsibility for the property.

Councilman Dave Prechtel stated he has been contacted about the status of the park and the potential purchase by the school corporation. “I thought from the beginning we didn’t have a choice. My constituents are against selling that [property]. After seeing the layout, it messes up the whole property by taking 15 acres out of it,” Prechtel said, referring to the fact the school has stated they are interested in about 15 acres adjacent to the baseball practice fields. ” I just tell everyone to contact the school board if they don’t want to take the 15 acres out of it.”

Kabrick informed the council that as CityVisions has moved forward with developing a plan for the property the public consensus appears to be that the property should be allowed to revert to a more natural state. “It seems to me that based on the original discussion concerning having anything on that property and a collaboration between the school and the city, that we would be in a great position if there is any structure placed on the property, for that to be a collaborative effort,” Kabrick stated. “Something the that the school and the city could work together on.”

Manley says that CityVisions recommendation will be in-line with those who want it to remain intact and natural.

“With what I’ve seen so far, unless they’ve changed their mind on something, was to make it – keep as central park and put a big lake in the middle and really make it a central park for the City of Jasper, which my constituents, the City Council and other people that I’ve talked to seem to be 100 percent behind.”

City Visions will be back in Jasper on December 4th to make their final recommendation on what to do with the land.

Jim O’Neal, News Director at WITZ contributed to this story.