Zero progress was made last week regarding Oxford Township’s potential sale of its old office building and parking lot at 18 W. Burdick St. to the village.
The pending real estate deal, stuck in legal and political limbo for the last year, will have to wait at least another month as township officials voted 5-2 to set the issue aside so the four new board members elected last month can review all the information before making a decision.
Both sides appeared frustrated as the township debated what to do in light of the village’s latest counter-offer for the property, which has sat vacant since September 2006.
In October, the village council voted to offer the township $187,500 for the property in light of the $75,000 worth of repairs the old building requires according to the village building inspector.
‘It’s important (for) that property (to) be entirely owned by the village,? said village Councilman Tony Albensi, who attended the township meeting as an audience member.
The old township hall is part of a municipal office complex which includes the village offices, police department, council chambers, the old fire hall and space which the village leases to the township’s parks and rec. department.
The village’s latest counter-offer didn’t please certain township officials who had been operating on the premise the village intended to pay $262,500 based on council-approved motions in December 2007 and January 2008.
‘Shame on them for not doing their due diligence up front,? said Supervisor Bill Dunn. ‘I think the township has bent over backwards. Myself, I wouldn’t accept one nickel less than the $262,500.?
Dunn noted he felt some of the village building inspector’s estimates ‘were too high.?
Treasurer Joe Ferrari made a motion, which ultimately failed in a 5-2 vote, to reject the village’s latest offer and ‘cease any further negotiations.?
‘It’s nothing personal, it’s business,? he said. We’ve got $10,145 (invested) in this in attorney fees.?
Ferrari said it’s time for the township to ‘cut our losses,? which includes the $1,200 paid for a survey plus additional funds for title insurance.
He doesn’t want to watch the building ‘depreciate right in front of my eyes while we negotiate another year.?
‘At that time, that $75,000 will probably be $120,000.?
Albensi was upset by Ferrari’s motion. ‘I want to make it well-known that I think that motion right there puts up a wall between the village and the township again,? he said. ‘That motion really angers me.?
Albensi noted he understood the township’s ‘frustration? and ‘yes, shame on us for not doing our due diligence and sending our building inspector in there . . . but $75,000 worth of repairs is a lot of repairs.?
‘Shame on the village for reneging on that offer to purchase,? Dunn retorted.
Albensi pointed out that ‘there was never a signed purchase agreement? between the municipalities.
‘There was a verbal agreement because it was in the form of a motion,? Dunn said.
At the village’s Jan. 8, 2008 meeting, Albensi made the motion to ‘approve the agreement to purchase and the land contract? for the township hall for $262,500.
Trustee Sue Bellairs expressed her support for moving the Oakland County Sheriff’s substation out of its current location ? a private storage facility which charges $30,000 a year in rent ? and into the 18 W. Burdick St. location.
‘The building is sitting there,? she said. ‘We could be utilizing it. We could be getting it ready for our police department.?
Bellairs noted that $30,000 a year could be going into the township’s coffers if the township was the one renting space to the sheriff’s department. ‘I think we’re giving away an asset,? she said.
In order to move the substation into the old hall, the township would have to secure special land use approval from the village because the property is currently zoned for low-density multiple family (RM-2).
Local businessman Chuck Schneider, who also sits on the Oxford Downtown Development Authority (DDA) board, expressed support for continued negotiations between the two governments.
‘I fully understand the township’s position and also their frustration. I’m a little frustrated myself,? he said. ‘I think it’s really in everybody’s best interest that the village consolidate this property.?
The DDA’s ‘Downtown Vision Plan? calls for the entire W. Burdick St. municipal complex to someday be developed into townhouses.
‘If I had the money, I’d write you a check and this would be a done deal because I think it really should be consolidated for the betterment of the community,? Schneider said.
Schneider offered to serve as a ‘mediator? between representatives from both municipalities.
He urged officials to ‘put the past aside and try and work something out that everybody’s happy with.?