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Item Coversheet Page 1 of 1 <br /> Legal Department <br /> DATE: 6/12/2018 <br /> MEMO: <br /> TO: Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe and Decatur City Council Members <br /> FROM: Tim Gleason,City Manager <br /> Ray Lai,Director of Economic&Community Development <br /> Billy Tyus,Deputy City Manager <br /> SUBJECT: Resolution authorizing City Manager to negotiate for the purchase of properties owned by the Macon County <br /> Trustee. <br /> SUMMARY RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends approval of the attached resolution authorizing the City Manager to <br /> negotiate final terms for the City's purchase of properties owned by the Macon County Trustee for a price that will not exceed$75 <br /> per lot.The current minimum bid as listed by the company that administers the trustee program is$600 per property. <br /> BACKGROUND: <br /> One of the identified issues as part of the city's Community Revitalization initiative and from the Decatur City Council over the <br /> years has been finding ways to return vacant lots and dilapidated properties where owners are delinquent on taxes to productive <br /> use.An estimated 720 of these properties are held by the Macon County Trutstee with the numbers not seeing any substantial <br /> decline from year to year.Having the city purchase the properties puts them under centralized,local control and administration <br /> which can help in the fight against dilapidation and blight and make them more readily available and easily accessible for <br /> residents.We can also target areas with large concentrations of properties for development more quickly and easily and provide a <br /> centralized location for listing development incentives and other available resources to interested purchasers. <br /> Currently,lots are sold through auction once per year.They can also be available at other times of the year with approval although <br /> residents don't always know how to access properties outside of the auction.As part of the revitalization work,Council and staff <br /> are also identifying changes to our local codes to allow for more uses of lots and also will create a more efficient side lot program <br /> so that people can access the lots more easily. <br /> This purchase is possible through cooperation from Macon County which has agreed to transfer the properties at a discounted rate. <br /> PRIOR COUNCIL ACTION: None <br /> POTENTIAL OBJECTIONS: None <br /> INPUT FROM OTHER SOURCES: Macon County has agreed to sell the properties at a discounted rate. <br /> STAFF REFERENCE: Tim Gleason,City Manager at 217-424-2801 or Tgleason@decaturil.gov,Ray Lai,Director of <br /> Economic&Community Development,at 217-424-2727 or Rlai@decaturil.gov,Billy Tyus,Deputy City Manager,at 217-424- <br /> 2802 or Btyus@decaturil.gov. <br /> BUDGET/TIME IMPLICATIONS: The purchases would be made pending approval by the Howard G.Buffett Foundation for <br /> use of part of the Foundation's$1 million contribution for neighborhood-related work as part of our Community Revitalization <br /> initiative.Preliminary conversations indicate that the purchase would represent an eligible expense. <br /> ATTACHMENTS: <br /> Description Type <br /> Resolution Authorizing,Cijy Manaer to Ne otiate for the <br /> Purchase of Properties Ownedby t e Macon County Resolution Letter <br /> Trustee <br /> https:Hdecatur.novusagenda.com/AgendaWeb/CoverSheet.aspx?ItemID=1577 6/18/2018 <br />