Perry council clears sale of 0.8-acre city parcel after debate over valuation and policy

The Perry City Council voted to move forward with the sale of a 0.8-acre city-owned parcel off Saxton Street, approving a motion to sell the property for $3,000 and separately voting to follow the surplus-property policy that governed the transaction when the process started. The votes came after more than an hour of public comment and council discussion about how fair market value should be calculated for city-owned land.

The council’s action matters because residents and prospective buyers have disagreed about whether the city should use the Office of the Property Appraiser’s assessed value for city-owned parcels or seek a broker’s price opinion or certified appraisal. Supporters of the sale said the $3,000 price reflects clean-up costs the buyer will incur and the city’s prior practice; opponents urged the council to use the higher assessed figure that appears on the appraiser’s website.

A resident who said they had purchased the adjacent junkyard urged council members to treat the buyer the same as prior purchasers and to allow either a negotiated sale or a perpetual easement for utilities so the buyer could connect to city water, sewer and gas. “The main thing we ask is that we’re afforded the same courtesy that those before us were afforded,” the resident said during public comment.

Council discussion focused on two threads: which valuation method to apply and whether to adhere to the policy that was in place when the surplus process began. Council members and staff reviewed prior examples of city sales, differences between assessed values and private-appraised values, and the steps required to move from surplus designation to ordinance readings and final sale. At one point staff noted the Office of the Property Appraiser’s private-owner estimate for the parcel was listed as $67,200 on its website, while others pointed to older appraisals or lower assessed values that showed amounts closer to $3,000.

After debate, a motion to “follow the policy that was in place when this process started” passed on roll call. The council then addressed a separate motion to sell the parcel for $3,000; a roll-call portion of the transcript records several affirmative votes and the chair announced the measure would move forward for ordinance readings.

The council also discussed practical consequences: purchasers will be responsible for cleanup, demolition and closing costs under the proposed resolution that defines disposal procedures for surplus property. Staff and council members referenced the formal sequence for selling city land — declaration of surplus, valuation, ordinance first reading, public hearing, second reading and final sale — and emphasized that failing to follow those steps previously had caused confusion.

Next steps: the council indicated it would place the ordinance for a first reading and public hearing to complete the sale process; staff noted the purchaser may need to obtain permits to clear debris and to connect utilities. The council did not set a closing date at the meeting.

Sources: public comment and council discussion during the Aug. 26, 2025 Perry City Council meeting.