I just read some of the DDA minutes and am especially interested in the idea of selling the parking lot on Southfield and Fort St for $1.00!

What a joke! Good catch on Disanto's part knowing that Allen Park just sold a similiar parking lot for a million!!! Why would Tamsen, City Attorney for Allen Park, even entertain the idea? Who was he thinking of selling it to? Any knowledge out their on the issue?

Vizachero and Tamsen holding positions in both our communities? They were both involved in the lawsuits in Allen Park. Something smells, in my opinion.

Mr. Disanto, you are worthy. Magoo, I'm convinced.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Accountability for all, big or small, is what's needed this fall.

  Submit to Quotes         

Ok, as I recall Dave Tamsen was not DDA attorney at the time that the parking lot was sold. The Mayor and Council, at the time 1999 - 2001 term, was Mayor Sochocki with Council persons Jeanne Hancock, Rebecca Tea, Bill Suzore, Steve Brown, Mike Schermesser and Virginia Mondon.

The plan with Mayor Sall was to bulldoze everything from Southfield Road to the Post Office. There was a group of busineses that would not sell because their offers were much less than the building appraisals. Thus, the only option was for the Mayor and Council to go to condemnation. A well known condemnation attorney, Jerome Pesick (sp?) had told them that they would lose. They were also concerned about putting several familes out of business - Park Restaurant and Park Floorcovering. So, after Virginia Mondon, Jeanne Hancock and Bill Hatley had gone to a New Urbanism conference in Portland, Oregon where they had seen breweries in old buildings, condos in downtown areas etc. Virginia and Jeanne met Virginia's son-in-law Terry Stamper who is with the condo developer Crosswinds Developers to meet them at the site. It was Terry Stamper who had told them that there was enough room on that parking lot for condos. Unfortunately, Crosswinds did not submit a bid. Crosswinds is a phenomenal developer and has done condos in most downtowns including Wyandotte. We would not be complaining about these condos today IF they had built them.

The mayor and council at the time were looking at the fact that new condos would bring them tax dollars. Our population was dropping. And the other problem was that this parking lot was in bad shape and many dollars were going to be needed to fix it up.

I believe that Dave Tamsen become the DDA attorney until probably 2001.

  Submit to Quotes         

I was just reading the minutes from July 2005 and Disanto was questioning Tamsen on this $1.00 sale.

  Submit to Quotes         

Any way you look at it that parking lot should never have been sold for a dollor.

  Submit to Quotes         

TheGirlNextDoor (09-03-05), Robbie (09-06-05), DonnaBird (09-06-05)

Yes, that is correct, Councilman Disanto did question Tamsen on the $1.00 sale at that meeting. It was another Mayor and Council that had transferred this parking lot to the DDA so that it could be sold.

One reason for the transfer was that the DDA can sell property for any price. Our DDA is usually pretty reasonable, business friendly because they feel the city will benefit from the project. The most the city could get for any city owned property at the time was $4,000. This is because the ordinance (or is it city charter?) stated that city property had to be sold for a maximum of ten cents per capita. Our "per capita" . . . population . . . is 40,000. That was changed at the last election to I think $1.00 per capita.

The DDA had sold the former Norton Drugs lot to Fort Street Brewery people for $11,000 which I heard from those guys that it was a very good price. They had looked at buildings, property as far north as Farmington Hlls and as far south as Wyandotte.

  Submit to Quotes         

TheGirlNextDoor (09-03-05)

All the property owners and Leasees were happy With their offers,except for the two. Now the one buiding is empty and the Park is suing the city. the Adult business would have been gone and we would have a new buildings from Southfield to Cicotte.

They blew the chance for revitalization of the entire East side of FortSt. No gas stations ,party stores ,or Dollar Stores. could have been a Lowe's or Target and an Appplebees

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If pro is the opposite of con? would CONgress be the oppositeof PROgress?

  Submit to Quotes         

The Village Idiot (09-03-05)

I'm not weighing in here with whether it was right or not cuz I don't know, but just so people know ... it's very common for cities to sell land for $1. An empty piece of land brings in no taxes for the community. A business or residential on the property will bring in money. The idea is that the taxes over the years will cover the initial cost of the land being sold for $1. It's an incentive for a business to come in that might not otherwise come in if they also have to pay for the land. This isn't the first time and it won't be the last that a deal liek this is done.

  Submit to Quotes         

The Village Idiot (09-03-05)

Leslie, please go back and check the facts on this one.

  Submit to Quotes         

TheGirlNextDoor (09-03-05)

How did the sale benefit LP?

  Submit to Quotes         

you are right it is common for citys to give deals and sell land for dollor to get something for there city.and there is nothing wrong with this if the city gets what it barganed for.
However most citys sell with a contract that dose not allow the person buying it turn around and sell for huge amounts and not have to something with the land.In most contract the land would have to be returned to the city that sold it.

  Submit to Quotes         

TheGirlNextDoor (09-03-05)

So the idea makes sense, but the contract didn't protect Lincoln Park's best interests.

So who bought it and turned around and sold it for a huge amount?

  Submit to Quotes         

FINALLY, Councilman Mario DiSanto is being recognized as the true Dean of the Council.

Come September 13 and November 8, please remember who helped get to the bottom of this Scandal.

Vote for Councilman Mario DiSanto!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A Five Year Millage? Yes
A non-limited Millage? Never
Vote NO on Proposal R

  Submit to Quotes         

Veritas Scriptor (09-03-05), southside (09-03-05), TheGirlNextDoor (09-03-05)

YOU JUST HAD TO GET THAT PLUG IN

  Submit to Quotes         

Magoo, I'm now a supporter of Mario Disanto! I couldn't be the only one to notice this. Do you know who bought the property?

  Submit to Quotes         

Maybe it's just me, but doesn't this story deserve some attention?
Was anyone accountable for this?

It's election time. It's the best time for citizens to demand answers.

  Submit to Quotes         

Interesting how Mario kept his mouth shut until a politically opportune moment.

  Submit to Quotes         

That's a good question, Flash. I guess it depends on how long he knew. When I read it, I couldn't believe I didn't see a thread on the issue. Maybe I missed it.

Anyway, it's out there now. You have to give credit where credits due. I was impressed.

  Submit to Quotes