By Kimberly Gasuras
CCN Reporter

On Tuesday, the Bucyrus City Council Public Lands and Buildings Committee will meet at 6:30 p.m. in Council Chambers at Bucyrus City Hall to determine if legislation for the city administration to purchase the former Ohio Department of Transportation property on West Irving Street will be approved to go before the entire council for a vote at 7 p.m.

At the last meeting of the committee, Mayor Jeff Reser presented information in support of the decision to purchase the property for $1 for 99 years from the state agency.

“We currently occupy two buildings, the water distribution building on Marion Road and the streets garage on Isaac-Beal Road,” Reser said. “About a year ago, the water distribution building was appraised at $390,000 and the streets garage was appraised at $560,000 for a total of $950,000.”

Reser said in phase one of his plans for the ODOT facility, the water distribution building would be put up for sale and the proceeds from the sale be used for renovations to buildings one, four and eight.

Those buildings include the main building, four, the salt dome; and eight, is a building used for storage by state employees.

Reser said the main portion of phase one is renovating the main building first, so the employees in the sewers and drains and audit offices may move out to the new facility.

“The estimated cost for this is $67,900,” Reser said.

Reser said that would leave a positive balance of $322,100 if the water distribution building sells for the appraised amount.

“Phase two would begin after all of the phase one buildings are renovated,” Reser said. “Then we would offer the streets garage for sale.”

Reser said plans are to begin construction of a new building on the site after the sale of the street garage is completed.

“We love the idea of having everyone under one roof, all of our departments, increasing unity.”

Reser said the buildings have not been a very attractive part of the north end and the renovations would improve the area.

“And we will free up two nice buildings for businesses that will employ people and add to our tax revenue,” Reser said. “There is already interest in the buildings, we have our feelers out already.”

Reser said if all goes as planned and the buildings are sold at asking price, there will be a net profit of $200,000 for the city’s budget.

“There is minimal risk here,” Reser said.

Several council members toured the current facilities and the former ODOT facility on April 4.

“After the tour, I was really impressed with the conditions of the streets garage and the water distribution building. I really think they are very sellable buildings,” council member Andy Schoch said.

Schoch said he thinks the plan is a good one because if the city does not move into the ODOT property, the potential is there for it to become a big problem area.

Both Schoch and Reser have said that the ODOT property only can be sold to another government entity, but Bucyrus resident Kurt Fankhauser said that he has corresponded with officials from ODOT and the property can be sold at a public auction.

In an email obtained by Crawford County Now, Judy Plato of ODOT said:

“Facilities retired by the Ohio of Transportation would be sold by public auction in the event it is not to a public agency. Yes, ODOT has sold retired facilities by means of a public auction. When a State Facility is up for auction, it will be advertised in general circulations, realtors will be notified and public auction signs will go up on the property.

Thank you,

Judy Plato”

Council public lands and building committee member Bruce Truka said he was unable to tour the buildings and would like to have one before voting on the issue.

Reser said the contract needs to be signed right after the next council meeting, hence the reason for a special committee meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, before the regular council meeting, so committee members may vote on if legislation for the purchase will go before the entire council at 7 p.m.

Both meetings are open to the public to offer input.

Below is a copy of a letter sent from Bucyrus Service-Safety Director Jeff Wagner to Allen Biehl, ODOT District 3 Deputy Director on April 21, 2014.