DELAWARE — The Delaware County commissioners opted to not purchase 25 acres of real estate that would have expanded the county’s footprint on County Home Road.
The parcel, owned by the Buckeye Valley Board of Education, sits directly next to 241 acres of county-owned land that is home to the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office Training Center and Peace Officer Academy.
Commissioner Gary Merrell said the two entities have been discussing the sale of the property for 18-24 months.
Commissioner Jeff Benton said there were no specific development plans in mind had they chosen to purchase the real estate, but rather a strategic investment because the land borders existing county-owned land.
But commissioners unanimously voted to not go through with the quit-claim-deed purchase, which would have been for a price of $387,270.
Commissioners agree sale price was too high
“Buckeye Valley School’s responsibility is to get the best price; I have no criticism of that, in fact, I respect it,” Merrell said. “But my responsibility is to protect the county’s interest, all taxpayers in the county.
“Therefore, I believe this price of appraisal is high, but would like to support the appraisal we worked from in conversations we had 18-24 months ago.”
Merrell said that initial appraisal value was closer to $350,000, a number that “would more likely” have his support.
Commissioner Barb Lewis agreed the price was too high.
“We can always bid on this again, should the school board decide to put it out for public bid, but the price, $387,270 is too high,” she said.
Merrell had another reason for his denial of the sale: he said in 1997, the land was under the ownership of the county.
The commissioners at that time sold the property to the Buckeye Valley Board of Education for the purpose of building a school for $1, Merrell said.
Those commissioners did not include a provision in the sale agreement that the property would return to the county if the school board did not build a school after a certain amount of time.
“There was no such call back in the agreement, and I do find some criticism with those commissioners in that decision. I think that was a fairly standard practice — a practice, I’m sure would never happen today,” Merrell said.
School board president surprised by decision
Buckeye Valley School Board President Mary Kate Pembroke said she was “surprised and disappointed” with the commissioners decision.
She said the board wants to sell the property because it is now sitting unused and board members want to fulfill their duty to be “good stewards of public funds and public property.”
Pembroke also said the board is not in a position to sell the property for lower than the value denied by commissioners.
Next week, board members will know more about what the next steps are for the future of the property, Pembroke said.
