205 Main listed as surplus; now up for bid
What to do about the 205 Main property came up twice during Monday night’s Anderson County Commission meeting.
It was easy (yes, it’s surplus and yes, it will be up for bid), then it got complicated.
Anderson County Commission agreed to put the property up for bid as surplus — the bidding time to be between three and six months, the length of time to be worked out by Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank and the county’s purchasing department.
“The bid process won’t cost us anything,” Commissioner Steve Meade said.
And if the county receives bids that are deemed inadequate the county is under no obligation to sell.
If the county declines to accept any of the sealed bids, “We’ll still have a valuable piece of property,” Katherine Ajmeri of the purchasing department told the body.
“It’s worth what we paid for, minus demolition,” Anderson County Commissioner Tracy Wandell said of a recent appraisal of the property.
It was also noted by several commissioners there has been “a lot of interest” from the private sector in purchasing the property.
Commission voted to list the property as surplus and put it out for bid.
During the appropriations portion of the Budget Department’s finance report a single item was pulled from a group appropriation for discussion.
The item in question was request for $5,850 for an asbestos and environmental assessment survey for the county, should the county decided to demolish the building.
The catch: Once the survey is complete it becomes a matter of public record and potential buyers, “By law, must be made aware of it,” County Law Director Jay Yeager pointed out — even if the survey was completed as a “just in case” the county demolishes the building.
That could affect any bids should asbestos be found.
Yeager said he would advise that any potential buyer spend the money for the survey.
Several commissioners said potential buyers of the property should conduct their own inspections. Commissioner Theresa Scott noted that it was similar to an individual who buys a house — they get it inspected before closing.
There was a lot of discussion on the pros and cons of having the survey completed — and of the cost — but County Commission Chairman Tracy Wandell said, “We’re beating around the mulberry bush here. It’s a test for if we demolish it — if we demolish.”
But any survey would have to be made public.
The first vote resulted in a tie but was quickly discarded when Wandell said he pressed he wrong button for his vote.
“I made a mistake,” Wandell said. “I pressed the wrong button.”
That vote was discounted and the second vote also would have been a tie, but Commissioner Robert McKamey abstained. Commission voted 8-7 to reject having the survey done.
The “no” votes went to Wandell, Denver Waddell, Shain Vowell, Tim Isbel, Catherine Deneberg, Steave Meade, Jerry Creasey, Theresa Scott, and Phil Yager.