County to start negotiation for 52-acre property – If purchased, most of the county-owned offices will be relocated to this property

Gadsden Commissioners recently voted to move forward with contract negotiations for a 52-acre parcel of land on Highway 267.

The funds to purchase the property on Highway 267, also known as Pat Thomas Parkway, will be reallocated from contingency reserves.

During the regularly scheduled meeting on November 15, County Administrator Ed Dixon said this is an opportunity for the county to invest in acreage to stimulate economic development.

Dixon said the City of Quincy doesn’t have adequate water pressure in some rural areas, and the county’s involvement allows the county to partner with the City of Quincy to increase the city’s water pressure and the economic exposure.

The City of Quincy recently donated 20 acres of land to the county for the development of a new sheriff’s office, emergency operations center and emergency medical services facilities.

Dixon said because the county is investing in infrastructure, other potential buyers want to look at the rest of the development.

“It is a fantastic 52 acres,” Dixon said. “You can imagine hotels and the rest located at this opportunity, but we have to create the opportunity to come to Gadsden County.”

Dixon told the board no one is coming to ‘save’ Gadsden County.

“We have to be willing to make the initial investments to get people here,” said Dixon.

The county administrator said most companies are looking for shovel ready property.

The property was appraised by Cureton-Johnson and Associates, a third-party real-estate appraisal and consulting company at $865,000.

Dixon said appraisal has come in at $100,000 more than the asking price.

Commissioner Eric Hinson said he didn’t know the reason for purchasing the property, and suggested looking at all areas first and doing a needs assessment.

Commissioner Hinson requested a workshop to discuss the “why” and the fiscal impact of purchasing this land; Hinson also said the money should be spent on infrastructure around the county, instead.

Commissioner Ronterrious Green agreed with Hinson, and said the board should consider more than one appraisal.

“It sounds great, and I do like the concept of the possibilities of being out there, but I too – after doing a little research – may not feel that that’s the opportunity right now, the best place, not that I feel like outside of Quincy is but I just want to make sure that we’re doing all of our homework,” said Green.

Green said he wants to make sure the board researches all the possibilities before making an investment of $750,000.

Dixon said the owner had an appraisal done, but he felt the county needed its own, so two appraisals had already been done.

Dixon also noted that the county owns 52 aging buildings that are deteriorating and spends millions of dollars each year on maintaining them.

Newly-elected Commissioner Alonzetta Simpkins pointed out a large portion of the appraisal report is for a body shop, which was appraised at $350,000.

Dixon said there’s a body shop already on the property, another vendor and housing on the property.

He said those leases would continue, until the board decides otherwise, if the county purchases the property.

Dixon said he understood the commissioner’s concerns, but under his opinion, pieces of property of that sort don’t become available that often.

“If you watched the Amazon facility go up in Tallahassee, it has gone from zero to a full-standing building in less than a year because the infrastructure and all was already in place, and they could dig dirt immediately,” Dixon explained.

Green said if the county purchases that property, the value would probably increase.

The board unanimously voted to allocate the funding in contingency reserve to purchase the property and to allow the county administrator to start contract negotiations.

Whatever purchase price is negotiated between the administrator and the seller, must come back before commissioners in a public hearing.

Erin Hill - erin@gadsdencountytimes.com

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County to start negotiation for 52-acre property – If purchased, most of the county-owned offices will be relocated to this property

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