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Board reviews revised disposition policy; attorney says RFP/one-year notice required before private sales
Summary
Board discussed attorney guidance on the agency's disposition-of-property policy: statutory one-year notification and required advertising/RFP for development, with a private negotiated sale permitted only after marketing/no responses; board scheduled a special meeting to review RFP responses.
The Hubbard HRA/EDA reviewed changes to its disposition-of-property policy after tabling the item last month. Speaker 4 told the board the agency's attorney advised the board it must follow the statute's one-year notice requirement and pursue development through advertising or an RFP before accepting private offers. "It's very clear in statute that that is what we must do," Speaker 4 said when summarizing the attorney's response.
The attorney provided sample language and a process that allows a "private negotiated sale after marketing the property," Speaker 4 said. Under that approach the agency can bulk-advertise multiple lots online, invite responses, and then negotiate with interested parties without hiring a realtor for each parcel while still meeting public-hearing and notice requirements.
The board discussed how that process would apply to a potential industrial park and specific lots (including one in Nevis). Members raised infrastructure questions: Speaker 4 said extending the existing dead-end road and adding a turnaround for snow-plow and truck access could cost roughly $125,000, and that access costs affect lot value and terms of sale.
Board members also discussed timeline and competitive-bid periods. The RFP had been posted with an 18-day response window; one member asked for a 30-day window in future solicitations. To satisfy notice requirements for a public hearing tied to RFP review, the board set a brief special meeting to consider proposals and set a conditional public hearing (special meeting: March 3 at 11:00; public hearing: March 17 if a tentative developer is selected). The board approved scheduling the special meeting by voice vote.
