PALESTINE —
Despite some mild reservations, the Palestine City Council on Monday unanimously approved authorizing the city manager to seek bids for the sale of the old Rusk school building on West Palestine Avenue.
Palestine City Manager Mike Ohrt told council members that the city purchased the property at 420 W. Palestine Ave. in 2006 with initial plans to utilize the building for additional office space or perhaps even relocate the police department there.
The building, however, is currently only being used for “storage space,” according to Ohrt, who added its windows have been boarded.
“It’s beginning to deteriorate,” Ohrt told council members. “We don’t feel it’s a viable option for us any longer to hold on to this asset.”
The city manager said two persons have expressed interest in buying the building from the city.
The city’s process calls for a minimum bid of $15,000, he added.
Council member Steve Presley expressed concerns over the building becoming a greater eyesore and noted its location on one of the city’s main thoroughfares.
“How do we know we’re not going to end up with another Memorial Hospital?,” Presley asked Ohrt, referring to the former hospital which has become a primary target of vandals, thieves and other lawbreakers in recent years.
“We don’t,” Ohrt simply stated.
Ohrt addressed Presley’s assertion that perhaps the city place conditions on any potential purchaser of the property, saying at least one of the prospective buyers had indicated they would not be interested if any strings were attached.
“We’ve got a huge eyesore and no way to deal with it anymore (if the city sells the property),” Presley said. “At least if we owned it, we could tear it down.”
“We would rather have it off our hands,” with the hopes of a purchaser making the property productive and getting it back on the tax rolls, Ohrt responded.
Due to its prominent location on West Palestine Avenue and bordering a neighborhood, Presley said he believed it was important for the city to not allow the building to “deteriorate.”
“I would argue we’re already doing that,” Ohrt said.
The council ultimately voted, 5-0, to authorize Ohrt to seek bids on the property.
Palestine Mayor Bob Herrington and council member Vernon Denmon Jr. were absent from the meeting.
In other business Monday, the council:
• APPROVED an ordinance amending Section 46-27 of the Code of Ordinances regarding Sound Amplification Systems to extend the responsibility for operating an amplification system to the owner of the property where the system is being used.
• APPROVED an ordinance granting a specific use permit to allow an off-premises pole sign for the Comfort Suites to be located at 3320 S. Loop 256.
• APPROVED an ordinance granting a specific use permit to allow a work-live unit on property zoned CBD Central Business District located at 119 E. Oak St.
• PASSED on an item authorizing the city manager to sign a letter of intent with Trane for a Comprehensive Energy Savings Study.
• PASSED on an item considering a proposal from Coastal Securities for PEDC Debt Refunding.
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Paul Stone may be contacted via e-mail at pstone@palestineherald.com
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Council seeks bids on Rusk School
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