Kent County commissioners approve resolution authorizing negotiations on property discussed in closed session

The Kent County Board of Commissioners voted 20-0 to adopt Resolution 88, authorizing the county administrator-controller to investigate options for a property the board discussed in closed session and to retain professional services to conduct negotiations, the board recorded during the meeting.

The resolution instructs the county administrator-controller to "investigate options relative to the property discussed during the closed session" and to "retain professional services to conduct negotiations regarding the property including execution of a contract contingent on board approval," and directs that the administrator present a recommendation directly to the full board rather than through the Operations and Policy Committee, the motion stated.

Vice Chair Burrell moved the resolution and Commissioner Coleman seconded. The clerk conducted a roll call that recorded 20 yes votes and 0 nays; the clerk announced, "Mister Chair, you have 20 yeas, 0 nays. The motion passes. Resolution 88 is adopted." The roll call recorded the following commissioners voting yes: Womack; Teal; Steck; Parks; Feinstein; Pacla; Oliver King; Morse; Morales; Merchant; McLeod; LeGrand; Coleman; Hildenbrand; Hennessy; Halstead; Faber; Vice Chair Burrell; Bujak; and Chair Green.

Resolution 88 also suspends specified standing rules (identified in the motion as "standing rule 3, 8 a rule 5 1 a 3") for the purpose of presenting the matter directly to the full board and states that the authorizations in the resolution "supersede and supplement the requirements for the sale of county real property set forth in [the] Facilities and Property Policy." The resolution further specifies that "no agreements will be binding on the county until final approval of the potential transactions by the board of commissioners." The transcript did not identify the property by name.

No substantive discussion about the property is recorded in the public portion of the transcript; the action followed a closed-session discussion referenced by the motion. The resolution directs staff to investigate options and to engage professional negotiators, but it does not approve any sale or contract. Any executed contract is expressly contingent on subsequent final approval by the board.

After the vote the board moved on to routine business. The administrator reported no items. Commissioners offered condolences and brief reports later in the meeting. The board adjourned and approved a motion to adjourn "subject to call" to Nov. 6, 2025, and the chair asked commissioners to assemble for an upcoming work session that would begin about 10 minutes before 11 a.m. at the sheriff's office.