The DeKalb County Commission will move forward on appraising a property located behind the Smithville Police Department.
Commissioner Tom Chandler said the commission considered selling the property as the county has selected a different location to build a new jail. Chandler said he is not in favor of selling the property but does believe it is in the commission’s best interest to know what the property is worth.
“I don’t see how we lose anything by getting an appraisal for that piece of property,” Chandler said. “If anything, I would say I would probably have some reluctance to sell the piece of property simply because there may be a need for it in the future.”
Commissioner Larry Green said back in March, Smithville expressed interest in purchasing the property. Green said the county should sell the property since it is not being used.
“I mean, it’s not big enough for us to do anything with other than, the previous thought on it was putting a welcome center there,” Green said. “Which, I’m not sure we need a welcome center.”
Commissioner Sabrina Farler said she did not want to make a decision on properties that the county owns in downtown Smithville before the construction of the new jail begins.
“I know we have planned, I know it’s going, but I do think things change sometimes,” Farler said. “I’m not saying it’s gonna change, but as a person that notes that there’s always another side, some ground has to move on a construction site before I would vote yes, but getting a value of it, that doesn’t bother me.”
Chandler said the people who come forward who own businesses in downtown Smithville seem very enthusiastic about what might be done in downtown Smithville. Chandler said all the property the county owns in Smithville might be worth quite a bit of money.
Chandler said the county should look into possibly trading property, so the county could finally get a convenience site in the Wolf Creek community. County Mayor Matt Adcock said it would be best to sell and then purchase a property. Chandler said that method has been exhausted already.
“That’s a logical thought, but at the same time, I think part of the issue that Brian has had in looking for a piece of property is finding somebody that wanted to sell us one,” Chandler said. “So the potential that we might offer them something else, it’s just a thought.”
Green said the county has been accused of sitting on a lot of property. Green said the revenue committee has put together a new property list that groups the properties by address, which makes it easier to sell properties together. Green said he believes the county does need to sell some of these properties that are not being used.
“There is no point of us sitting on it,” Green said. “If we can get something out of it at least get something back on the tax rolls. As long as we sit on it, we are not making anything on it.”
Green said the Revenue Committee will meet again and will try to come back to the commission with a more detailed resolution to sell some of the other properties.
