Jasper Country Club appropriation approved by state, city to set closing date

Jasper — The Indiana Department of Government and Finance approved the $1.1 million appropriation from the City of Jasper’s rainy day fund to purchase the former Jasper Country Club.

The city received its notice of approval on Monday and the Jasper Redevelopment Commission was notified of the approval at this morning’s regular meeting.

According to City Attorney Renee Kabrick, they are now ready to schedule a closing date to complete the purchase of the property. No date for that has been released.

The Jasper Common Council approved using the appropriation of $1,087,795 from the rainy day fund at January’s meeting. The decision was made to expedite the purchase of the property and to save $30,000 to $50,000 in financing fees and legal paperwork.

The country club property has been whittled down several acres to accommodate private citizens’ purchases of approximately 3 acres along Emily Street and Alpine Enterprises’ —the Hanselman family, co-owners of the Schnitzelbank and Hampton Inn— purchase of the Country Club building, access road and adjacent land.

The city plans on purchasing the remaining 58 acres and the Greater Jasper School Corporation approved purchasing up to 15 of those 58 acres from the city.

The city is considering the sale of four properties to replenish the rainy day fund. Those properties include the Lechner property near Precious Blood, Bockelman property north of the Municipal Golf Course, the 30th Street Park and an additional 10 acres the city owns near St. Charles Street and Truman Road.

Before the appropriation the city had $2.6 million in the rainy day fund.