St. Clair County Commission approves purchase of Chandler Mountain tower parcel for $18,151.10

The St. Clair County Commission voted to buy a parcel atop Chandler Mountain that holds a county communications tower, approving a resolution to enter a purchase agreement for $18,151.10 plus closing costs and authorizing the chairman to execute necessary documents, commissioners said during a continuation meeting to finish business from an earlier session.

The parcel was listed on the meeting agenda as “303052 Loop Road, Asheville, Alabama 35953,” though officials said the auction listing used a different town name and the county will insert the parcel’s legal description into the minutes to remove address ambiguity. County staff described the lot as the small parcel on which a communications tower sits; commissioners said the county has used the tower and related equipment for more than 30 years to support emergency management, the sheriff’s office and ambulance paging.

County Attorney Tina recommended the motion language used in the meeting and told commissioners the purchase price reported after the auction — $18,151.10 — includes auctioneer fees. Commissioners said the county monitored an extended auction that included 39 parcels across multiple locations; their bid won this parcel. The commission directed staff to remit the required deposit to the auction company and noted the county has 30 days to complete the closing and record the deed.

Commissioners discussed why buying the parcel was necessary despite the county’s long-term use of the site. Officials said the county previously acquired recorded rights of way to the tower site when it invested in a new county communications system; acquiring the parcel by deed will resolve a decades-long uncertainty over ownership. The adopted resolution authorizes the chairman to sign all documents to complete the purchase so the commission need not return to vote on routine closing steps.

Votes at a glance: the commission voted to amend the minutes from a prior meeting (changing agenda item 19 to read “recess” rather than “adjourn”) and voted to adopt the resolution to purchase the Chandler Mountain parcel; both motions carried by voice vote, with no roll-call tallies provided in the minutes.

The commission recessed the meeting pending completion of the closing steps on the property; staff said they expect to complete the wire and deposit to secure the property and then return with the recorded deed once the 30-day closing period concludes.