The County Property Committee on Sept. 2 opened two bids for county farm parcels and voted to refer the leases to the finance office for contract finalization. The committee identified Kevin Newell as the highest responsible bidder for both parcels and asked the county attorney to notify the current Catlin Park tenant that its lease has expired.

Committee members heard two written offers after Chairman Jensen opened the sealed bids. A bid submitted by Lawrence Matthews and an individual identified as Nikki offered $221.00 per acre for Parcel 1 (Catlin Park), which the bid listed as 119.43 acres. A separate submission from Kevin Newell offered $247.65 per acre for the Catlin Park parcel and an offer of $252.57 per acre for Parcel 2 at Aetna Road Park (15.41 acres), records read aloud in the meeting show.

“Most responsible bidder would be Kevin Newell for both parcels,” Chairman Jensen said during the discussion before the committee took action. Board member Gary Small moved to refer the matter to finance; Board member Tom Miller seconded the motion. When the chair called for a vote the committee responded “Aye,” and the referral passed.

Committee members also directed the county attorney to send notice to the current Catlin Park tenant that the lease has expired, a step discussed after the bid opening. The referral to finance means the finance office will review and, if appropriate, prepare lease paperwork and related financial checks before a final lease is executed.

The meeting transcript did not record any objections or alternate motions on the bids. No dollar figures beyond the per-acre offers read aloud at the meeting were provided, and the committee did not vote to award a lease at the session; it forwarded the bids to finance for the next steps.

Background: county land leases are typically reviewed by finance for confirmation of bidder responsibility and to prepare contract documents. The committee did not cite any specific ordinance or statute during the discussion, and the meeting record did not include a final signed lease.