Committee advances sale of former Boys & Girls Club to full board

The Alpena County Facilities, Capital & Strategic Planning Committee voted 3–1 on Oct. 15 to recommend that the full county board consider selling the former Boys & Girls Club building, with conditions including attorney review and confirmation that the county has no environmental cleanup obligation.

County Administrator Jesse Osmer told the committee the board had previously lifted deed restrictions to allow a sale and had agreed the Boys & Girls Club would retain 75 percent of any proceeds while the county would receive 25 percent if the organization stopped using the building. Osmer said he had received a letter from the club’s attorney indicating the organization is ready to sell and asked the committee to approve moving the contract forward with county oversight of offers and marketing.

Commissioner Todd Britton moved the recommendation, and Commissioner John Kozlowski supported it. Chair Travis Konarzewski voted in favor; Commissioner Brenda Fournier voted no. The roll call in committee recorded ayes from Britton, Kozlowski and Konarzewski and a single nay from Fournier. The committee recorded the motion as Action Item #1 and noted it will advance to the full board pending attorney review and clarification on environmental liability.

The committee’s action does not itself transfer title; the sale must be approved by the full county board and any outstanding legal or environmental questions must be resolved before closing. The committee directed that the county be made privy to offers and marketing updates during the sale process.

The committee adjourned at 10:04 a.m.; the item will next appear for consideration by the full board if the county attorney’s review is completed.