Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Real Estate Disposition topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Johnson County approves sale of former Antioch Library to City of Merriam amid appraisal questions
Summary
The Board ratified a $3.93 million contract to sell the former Antioch Library property to the City of Merriam; the vote was 6-1 after public commenters flagged differences between the sale price and county appraisals.
Johnson County commissioners on Jan. 23 voted 6-1 to approve and ratify a contract by which the Johnson County Library Board would sell the former Antioch branch property and two adjacent parcels to the City of Merriam for $3,930,000.
Commissioner Fast moved to approve the sale; Commissioner Allen Brand seconded. The measure passed with six votes in favor and one dissent from Commissioner Ashcraft.
The sale drew public comment and questions about valuation. Ben Hovord, who identified himself as a Westwood Hills resident, said the county's aggregate appraisal for four parcels totaled $6,023,000 and asked why the contract price was roughly $2.1 million lower. Charlotte O'Hara told the board the process lacked transparency and compared multiple appraisal values presented to the county.
Tricia Salentrop, Johnson County Library director, and others on the library board described a public process under library policy and said the board followed its authority to dispose of property. Salentrop noted the library provided materials and meetings for public review and that the library board considered an offer in executive session in November before acting in a public meeting in December.
Commissioner Ashcraft said he had reviewed the appraisal materials and sought more information. Staff and others explained there were different appraisals with different methodologies: a Cushman appraisal in August that showed about $2,000,000 (which county appraiser Beauvais characterized as using a valuation method that could understate market value), and subsequent appraisals and analyses used by the parties. Commissioners noted methodological and timing differences among reports and that the library board approved the sale price.
Library staff said the library board's decision followed Library Policy 50,270 governing real property disposition and that the board exercised its authority in a public process. Commissioners who supported the sale cited the library board's discretion and Merriam's investment in its library facilities; those who opposed or registered reservations said they were concerned about whether the county's taxpayers received full market value. The motion passed 6-1; Commissioner Ashcraft voted no.
