Council approves sale of several city owned properties

The Red Oak City Council has moved forward on returning numerous nuisance properties back to the city’s tax rolls.

The Red Oak City Council met in regular session Oct. 18, and during the meeting, held a public hearing for the proposed sale of certain properties, including 102 W. Valley St., 106 E. Corning St., 705 E. Valley St., 110 Third Ave., and 200 Third Ave. The total amount bid for the lots in question was $15,227.

Details of the sales were as follows: Audie Rainey, 102 W. Valley St., $3,500; Russell Skellenger, 106 E. Corning St., $1.500; 705 E. Valley St., Hayden Sedlak, $7,651; Robin Smith, 110 Third Ave., $1,500; and Rod Vanderhoof, 200 Third Ave., $376.

The sale of all of the properties was subject to the same building and zoning ordinances, easements, restrictions, and covenants of record, if any, and the city was to transfer title by quit claim deeds. One property was not part of the public hearing, 104 E. Corning St.

City administrator Brad Wright said due to an oversight, they would take no action on that property.

“Between me covering the last meeting and taking minutes, and city clerk Mary Bolton sending notice to the paper, we did not catch that when the hearing notice went into the paper, there was incorrect verbiage for 104 E. Corning. It is listed as going to Russell Skellinger, and we actually awarded the bid to adjacent property owner, Mark Blackburn,” Wright explained.

The reason for Blackburn’s bid being accepted over Skellenger’s was because both bid the same amount, and in that case, as the bids were tied, the winning bid was given to Blackburn as he was an adjoining property owner to the property currently for sale.

Wright contacted legal council and had been told it was the council’s discretion on what bid was accepted if both high bids were the same amount.

“We’re only disposing of the other five lots, and we will be scheduling a new hearing for the 104 E. Corning property, and at the next meeting, if scheduled, we will hold a new public hearing at our Nov. 1 meeting, and sell that property at that time,” advised Wright.

Wright added that he had received no oral or written comments objecting to the sale of the land. Red Oak Mayor Bill Billings asked for public comment during the meeting, and no objections were raised, and the public hearing was closed.

The council then approved Nov. 1, during the regular city council meeting, as the date of the public hearing for disposal of 104 E. Corning to Mark Blackburn.

A lease agreement for the purchase of the new street sweeper for the city was also approved by council members.

“When we agreed to purchase the new street sweeper some time ago, the intent was to do that with a lease program as opposed to having to borrow money through a bond issue. These payments were something we felt we could absorb into our annual road use operations,” Wright said.

In other business, the council:

• Approved a contract with Arrow Energy for airport fuel.

• Approved a hangar lease agreement with Orme Outdoor.

• Approved the renewal of a Class C liquor with Sunday sales license for Five One 8, LLC.

The Red Oak Express

2012 Commerce Drive
P.O. Box 377
Red Oak, IA 51566
Phone: 712-623-2566 Fax: 712-623-2568

Comment Here