Hayden sets June 17 sealed-bid auction for Dakota Street parcel to help fund public-works purchase

The Hayden City Council voted on May 13 to list the city's roughly 4.85-acre parcel off Dakota Street for sale by public auction on June 17, using sealed bids and without hiring a real-estate agent.

Council set the auction following a statutorily required public hearing and a staff presentation explaining that state law requires public auction to the highest bidder. Staff said the parcel sits in a light-industrial zone and that the council previously set a minimum price based on an appraisal: $7 per square foot.

City staff described marketing options, including the limits of placing the parcel on the local multiple-listing service without a hired broker. Staff also noted an existing contingent offer from the county tied to the city's concurrent purchase of a new public-works property; proceeds from the Dakota Street sale are intended to help offset that cost. Staff said the Board of County Commissioners hopes to complete the county-side sale before the end of the fiscal year and cited an October 1 timing goal.

Council members discussed outreach to nearby property owners and whether to use a live auction or sealed bids. Staff recommended sealed bids and suggested the city could reconsider use of an agent if sealed bids did not meet the appraisal.

A council member moved that the June 17 date be set for a sealed-bid public auction and that the city not enlist a real-estate agent; a second followed. Roll-call votes recorded in the meeting record showed "yes" votes from Council member White, Council member Schaeffer, Council member DePries and Council President Rotor. The motion passed.

The record shows staff will publish the statutorily required notice in the official newspaper and proceed with auction preparations. Staff also said it would post on-site notice of the auction date and follow the city's standard procedures for auction documentation.

Votes at the meeting also included earlier approval of the consent calendar and later approvals recorded elsewhere on the agenda; those are listed in a separate council actions summary.

The city's staff presentation cited Idaho Code sections as the procedural basis for the hearing and sale (sections referenced in the record: "1450 dash 14 o 2 and 3" as stated at the hearing). The staff memo and appraisal supporting the minimum-bid figure were part of the meeting record. No public speakers testified at the hearing.

Council did not finalize marketing details beyond choosing sealed bids and declining to hire an agent now; staff said it would return with any additional recommendations if sealed bids fell short of the appraisal.

For more details, the council's public notices and the staff appraisal are on the city's official record for the Dakota Street parcel auction.