Council sends proposed Saint Joe's property purchase to second reading after community support and cost questions

Councilors on May 11 referred a proposed purchase-and-sale agreement for a portion of the former Saint Joe's property to a second reading after hearing from the mayor, staff and a community representative.

The clerk read an ordinance authorizing the mayor to enter a real estate purchase-and-sale agreement for part of parcel 0500039104019 and declaring an emergency. The mayor said he wanted more time to gather closing-cost details and additional information from a structural engineer; he described the bleachers and building as generally usable but noted a broken toilet and some drainage questions. "I don't think it'll slow things down too much," the mayor said, and asked council to consider sending the item to a subsequent reading while staff obtains closing estimates and more detailed assessments.

Ben Bukowski, who identified himself as representing the Amherst Athletic Association, told council the association had used the fields before the pandemic and would be "very, very, very eager to be a partner" in restoring and using the fields. Bukowski said about 35–36 teams might use the four fields based on current numbers. A council member cited a past field repair that came in just north of $15,000 with volunteer labor and said volunteers could likely help again; other remarks referenced worst-case sand and labor estimates of about $8,000 per field and a fence cost "just under $20,000." The city agreed to ask volunteers and local groups to help assess field work and to obtain precise closing-cost estimates from a title office.

After discussion, Councilmember Winarski moved to send item 6b to a second reading; the motion was seconded and passed by roll call, 7-0. Council scheduled the item's second reading for two weeks from the meeting at City Hall.