After two closed sessions totaling 45 minutes of deliberation, Independence Township officials announced they have a new home.
Independence Township officials approached Ed Adler, managing partner of Leh-Ray Holdings LLC, about six months ago, to sell his office building on Waldon Center Drive for use as a new Township Hall.
‘I said ‘yes,? so we had several meetings and arrived at a price,” Adler said. “They took it to the full board and decided to purchase it.?
The new, 18,000-square-foot building cost $2.7 million, which the township borrowed from its Water and Sewer Fund at five percent interest over 30 years. The board also approved up to $800,000 out of the General Fund for moving and remodeling the new hall.
‘It was excellent because in bad economic times we had the cash to be able to do it and take advantage of these times,? said Dave Wagner, Independence Township supervisor. ‘So this was real good timing for us.?
The deal also included a trade of vacant property next to the new hall for ownership of the current township hall on North Main St., appraised at $600,000 by Fuller Appraisal Services. To bring the building up to code would cost about $250,000.
‘I think the price is fair,? said Adler. ‘They have the right to do whatever due diligence they want to do.?
Wagner said he saved the township money.
‘All of our town halls we had in all our studies were between $9 million and $11 million to acquire the property and build the building,? he said. ‘Now we got property, plus additional property, for $2.7 million.?
With $800,000 out of the General Fund, 30 percent would still be left, or $1,937,541.30, said Susan Hendricks, finance director.
Wagner said the $800,000 is set aside in the Capital Improvement Plan for a new hall.
‘That’s what everyone (the citizens) has been complaining about, ‘we have so much money in our general fund, why haven’t we earmarked anything?? Well, the bad part was it never got out that we actually were and we have been,? he said. ‘This is a perfect example what you should do.?
Wagner said public comment was not needed.
‘We’re not asking anybody for money, so you don’t need comment on that,? he said.
Trustee Dan Travis disagreed. He left closed session before the vote because he said he could not “in good conscious vote on the issue.?
‘If it’s a good deal now, why wouldn’t it be a good deal for the next board to decide or ask the people,? Travis said.
The deal looks good, the new location is excellent and moving out of City of the Village of Clarkston are ‘pluses.? However, 45 minutes of discussion is not enough to ‘discuss an issue of this magnitude,? Travis said.
“I don’t think it was appropriate for this lame duck board,” he said. ‘Closed doors don’t make for transparent understanding of government operations.?
Whether or not it was ‘sneaky? was beside-the-point, said Trustee Dan Kelly.
‘Everybody knew this was going to be made public and probably on the front page. Whether we did it in closed session or on the stage at Clarkston High School, the bigger issue is, should this board make this kind of decision,? asked Kelly. ‘Since we’re not asking for a tax increase, we’re not asking for a new millage, I think it’s needed, so I don’t have a problem with it.?
The new hall would be located in the Sashabaw Corridor, along with the McLaren project, he said.
‘I believe that the Sashabaw Corridor is our town center,” he said. “It’s been slow development and I know our economy plays a role in that, but I think it is beneficial to the proper development of Sashabaw that we are out there as a township.?
Trustee Larry Rosso saw it as an ‘outstanding opportunity.?
‘I think you got to strike when the iron is hot and there’s no better time than now. We’re actually taking advantage of a low real estate market or we could have never done this,? Rosso said.
?(The current building) is simply too small to meet our needs after the township has grown up after all these many years. We don’t have enough space to maintain our records, our files, and, most importantly, the personnel, so the need is great.
Township Treasurer Jim Wenger agreed with Rosso.
‘I think there is never a right time to move to a new township hall, but based on the economical condition and unique opportunity that had arisen, I think we were correct in responding to it,? he said. ‘Ed Adler being involved, I think, will benefit the city as he knows the local community. He worked hard to do a good job with the property besides create an additional tax space for the City of the Village of Clarkston.?
As far as the old town hall, Adler said he has some thoughts about the property, but nothing specific yet. He plans to work with citizens, Clarkston Community Historical Society, and City Council concerning different thoughts.
‘They need not to fear that we’re going to skin it in aluminum siding or anything,? he said. ‘We won’t do anything for a year or two, but in the meantime we’ll be posing some ideas that I think they’ll like.?