North Adams Council Nixes Pownal Land Sale
 The City Council on Tuesday rejected a plan to sell city land in Pownal, Vt., feeling the property could increase in value. |
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The City Council approved the sale of four plots of city-owned land but balked at listing some 220 acres in Pownal, Vt.
The council decisively rejected selling the acreage in the Broad Brook area 6-2, with President Michael Bloom and Councilor Jennifer Breen voting for, over concerns that the land may be more valuable in the future.
Mayor Richard Alcombright had asked that some 638 acres in total be declared surplus land to replenish the depleted land-sale reserve account, which now stands at about $37,000.
"They have some logging value but we really don't have any use for these properties," the mayor told the council on Tuesday. "I think we can make better use of the cash they may be able to generate."
The properties are 67 acres of land off West Shaft Road, a steep incline up to the summit, assessed at $65,000; three landlocked lots totaling 351 acres in Stamford, Vt., assessed at $106,900, $40,600 and $36,100; and the 220 acres in Pownal assessed at $378,300.
Administrative Officer Michael Canales said the properties could not be sold below their assessed, or possibly appraised value, without coming back to the City Council for permission. The lots have been advertised in a request for proposals with bids to be received by Friday, Aug. 30, at 11 a.m.
Councilor John Barrett III objected strongly to selling the Pownal acreage in the Broad Brook watershed, claiming the land would have far greater value when land prices rise.
"I am asking the mayor and begging the council don't do it," he said. "This is a ludicrous idea, it's crazy to sell the land at this time ... that property is worth a million dollars, a million dollars."
Barrett said the land had been set aside during negotiations eight years ago while he was mayor, when the city sold 3,400 acres in the watershed to the U.S. Forest Service, in an agreement with Pownal to sell it for development.
The city had planned to sell the 220 acres and the Stamford properties at public bid in fall 2005.
Barrett said now was a bad time to sell land just replenish accounts because property values had not recovered from the recession.
The mayor said the land sale had been under consideration for at least two years, and the sale process began a few months ago after deliberations with his financial team.
"We just think the time is right on this," he said. "It has value and it's sitting there and doing nothing for us."
Alcombright said the value of logging on the lands every 10 years was minimal because of the taxes being paid. In total, the city's tax bill was about $10,000, with $6,800 being paid annually on the Pownal land.
"Putting it on the market to see what we can get is a good risk because there is no risk," he said, since the city can reject an offer below assessment.
Canales and Alcombright noted the land had actually fallen in assessed value from about $400,000; it also had no infrastructure — roads, water, sewer — and was bisected by the Broad Brook. The mayor felt it would only be worth $1 million if a developer invested money into it.
However, Councilor Alan Marden, who works in the real estate field, also felt the land would be worth more later.
"The Pownal land has a lot of potential," he said, pointing to its proximity to Williamstown. "I believe this land is a lot more valuable in the future."
That was enough to sway the council, with Barrett, Marden, Marie Harpin, Lisa Blackmer, David Bond and Keith Bona voting against the sale. Councilor Nancy Bullett was not in attendance.
The vote was unanimous to sell the North Adams lot but the Stamford sale was approved 6-2, with Barrett and Harpin voting naye. Canales said the Pownal lot would be removed from the bidding process.
• The council also approved a transfer of $19,236.24 from the Parking Meter Reserve Account to cover the purchase of new electronic meters for use of quarters on Main, Marshall, Ashland and Eagle streets.
• It also passed to a second reading and published, with Barrett voting against, a borrowing order for $150,000 to purchase a new bucket truck for the Wire & Alarm Division ($95,000); a SCADA input/output control card to replace a failed one at the waste-water treatment plant ($25,000); two aerator compressors ($15,000), a sander ($5,000) and a plow ($10,000).
Barrett objected to spending the money, saying the items should have been in the capital budget; Alcombright said the budget couldn't handle $150,000 at once and but it could $30,000 over five years. The used bucket truck is not in service and needs about $13,000 in repairs; Fire Director Stephen Meranti said $10,000 has already been put into it. Used trucks have run around $60,000 with about 75,000 miles on them, he said. "We haven't had a new truck since 1980."
• The council also approved the appointment of JoAnn Lipa-Bates, filling the unexpired term of Maria Diamond, and Jennifer Flynn Bernard to the Human Services Commission, and endorsed the establishment of a veterans outreach center by veterans.
• The agenda can be found here.
Tags: city council, land sale account, land sales, municipal property,
