Lenoir council defers property sale and holds closed session on pending litigation

The City of Lenoir deferred consideration of an acceptance-of-offer to purchase city property after staff reported the highest bidder failed to submit the required bid deposit on time.

City staff asked the council to defer the acceptance-of-offer from "Ste A Corporation" and return the item for consideration at the next meeting (scheduled July 13) after the bidder attempts to cure the deposit requirement. The manager said the deferral was necessary to comply with legal bid-deposit rules.

Later in the meeting the council moved into closed session to discuss potential litigation and economic development matters; the city attorney cited pending litigation involving David and Doris Williams and CresCom Bank. Council Member Stevens made the motion to enter closed session; the council recessed and returned after a short closed-door discussion. No formal action on the litigation was announced on the public record at the meeting's conclusion.

The mayor noted the meeting would recess into closed session pursuant to state law authorizing closed sessions for potential litigation; the meeting record transcribes the statute reference as "North Carolina General Statutes 143-30570." That citation appears in the record as spoken during the meeting; the council did not read additional detail into the public record regarding the litigation.