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Public hearing on proposed sale of 460 Joseph Street draws questions about appraisal, rent and jobs
Summary
During a public hearing, a resident pressed councilors for details about the proposed sale of municipal property at 460 Joseph Street, asking about an appraisal, current rent payments and employment claims by the building's tenant. City staff said the building is not under a current lease and that recent rent checks are incomplete.
Alexander City councilors held a public hearing on the proposed sale of municipal property at 460 Joseph Street on Jan. 27 as members of the public asked for more information about the building's value, revenue and tenant performance.
Tony Goss, a resident who identified himself as living at 647 Shady Point, used his three-minute public-comment period to press the council on appraisal and revenue details. "I want to know what the selling price is for this property," Goss said. He said he had heard the property might be worth about $3,700,000 and asked whether the council would require a right of first refusal or a callback if the city sold it for less than market value.
Goss also questioned whether the building is currently under an active rental agreement and whether the tenant is current on rent and taxes. "Are they currently paying up with their rent and their taxes?" he asked, noting a discrepancy between promises of large employment and the number of cars he observed at the site.
A staff member answering at the hearing said the building is not under an active lease. "It is not. We tried to get the owner to sign a lease agreement for over a year now and would not come to the table," the staff member said, adding that the city has some checks on file for prior months but did not have a check for December.
Council members did not vote on the sale during the open meeting. The council closed public comment on the item and later moved to discuss the sale in executive session. Council President Proton Hardy announced that the council would meet in executive session under a statutory code provision to discuss the sale of real property.
The public comment and staff responses left several points unclarified in the open record: the council did not present a current appraisal report at the hearing; a specific asking price for the property was discussed anecdotally during public comment (one figure referenced by a commenter was $3,700,000), and the city's most recent rent-payment status was described by staff as partially complete (checks on file for some months but not all).
Why it matters: The sale of municipal real estate can affect local tax revenue, employment at the site and future use of downtown property. Public questions about appraisal and payment records could influence whether the council proceeds with a sale, seeks a formal appraisal, or places conditions on any transfer.
What's next: The council signaled it would discuss the sale in executive session under a cited statutory provision and did not reconvene the sale discussion in open session during the evening.
