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Property Committee narrows candidates, removes three buildings from consideration
Summary
The Athens-Clarke County Property Committee voted April 20 to remove The Cottage, Church Waddell Brumby House and the East Athens Clinic from further consideration while continuing work on a model to transfer select public properties to nonprofits amid state-law constraints.
Commissioner Allison Wright, committee chair, presided over the Property Committee meeting on April 20, where members moved to narrow a slate of public properties proposed for transfer to nonprofit stewards and voted to remove three buildings from further consideration.
Andrew Saunders, Interim Assistant Manager, opened the meeting by reviewing the committee’s charge to develop a model for transferring properties currently used by single nonprofits (including the Prince Avenue Fire House, Taylor Grady House and the Town and Gown building) to the organizations operating them, with protections such as landmark historic designation, façade easements and reversion to ACC government ownership if a nonprofit ceases operations. Saunders said the model should “ensure long-term preservation and maintenance” while preserving an option for public reversion.
Courtney Davis, Senior Attorney, warned that Georgia law constrains how local governments may dispose of property. Davis cited Section 7-502 and Section 36-9-3, explaining that state rules generally require sales to be made through sealed bids or auctions, with public notice and specific terms for price and closing. “Those provisions establish the authority and the procedures we must follow for transfers or sales,” Davis said, underlining that a direct transfer to a named nonprofit may not be straightforward under current statutes.
James Alexander, Interim Central Services Director, reviewed maintenance and capital needs across candidate properties and recommended setting aside some sites because of pending investments or lease limits. Alexander reported that the Athens Community Theatre and Church Waddell Brumby House have mostly manageable short-term needs and that a SPLOST-funded project will cover some Brumby work, while the East Athens Neighborhood Health Center faces moderate expenses. He flagged Taylor Grady House and Historic Fire Hall #2 as likely to require major long-term restoration, including HVAC and roof work, which increases their long-term cost profile.
Based on those considerations, the committee narrowed its focus to the Taylor Grady House, Athens Community Theatre, Historic Fire Hall #2 and the West Broad Service Center. To further refine options, members agreed to initiate title searches and consult planning staff on zoning and historic-preservation implications.
Commissioner John Culpepper moved to remove The Cottage, Church Waddell Brumby House and the East Athens Clinic from further consideration under the committee’s charge; Commissioner Melissa Link seconded the motion and the committee approved it unanimously. The committee also agreed to seek a legally viable draft of the mayor’s proposed transfer framework and for Chair Wright to meet with Mayor Kelly to discuss reworking the proposal to align with legal requirements.
Staff said the government plans to issue a request for proposals for a commercial real-estate broker to assist with lease negotiations, transactions and strategic planning related to disposing of or repurposing surplus properties.
The meeting adjourned at 3:18 p.m. after Commissioner Culpepper moved to adjourn and Commissioner Link seconded. The committee scheduled its next meeting for April 28 at 10 a.m.
