Part Two – Commission weighs-in on fate of old city hall

Will host a townhall before any final decisions on property

By Barb Pert Templeton

A June 5 meeting of the Marine City Commission prompted a lengthy discussion on the fate of old city hall at 300 Broadway in the city.

After a 45-minute discussion on the topic under agenda item 12b Pilot Group Listing Agreement – 300 Broadway, the commission unanimously approved a six-month listing agreement with Pilot Property Group. The decision was made with the stipulation that the commission will hold a townhall meeting to get the public’s input on the project, before any sale takes place.

The agenda item was prompted by City Manager Michael Reaves. He wanted to walk the commission through his mindset and what’s been happening with the building.

“So, that buildings been vacant for 21 years now and numerous groups and committees and others have attempted to do some things with the building,” Reaves said, noting the approach may have been from a fundraising arm, a grant writing arm or even groups who tried to do some work there themselves.

More recently, the building was included in a facilities asset study and a $25,000 engineering review, authorized by the current commission, was recently completed.

Reaves said his main focus has been to try and save the building and agreed a lot of things have been attempted over the years.

“But very candidly nothing is ever finished, we start a lot of stuff but nothing is ever finished, nothings ever completed, nothing’s ever done,” Reaves said.

He said he has talked at length with many developers across the state about the old building including the ones working on rehabbing the old state mental hospital in Traverse City.

“We need to fish in a bigger pond more than the state of Michigan, to find that right developer,” Reaves said. “The only reason to start this process this way, by listing the building (for sale), is to attract development. Let somebody see this, across the nation, someone with the right resources, let them come up with the ideas to save this building.”

The current real estate marketplace can help assess the value of the building and the property. Reaves also noted that regardless of any potential buyers’ proposal, the city will maintain control of what’s done with the property.

“If you agree with me and say I think we’ll see what the world says about this building, things automatically come back to you,” Reaves said. “Let’s say they want to put up a circus tent, you said no I don’t want a circus tent there, you get the right to say no. You always maintain control at the end of the day.”

Funding from the city budget is also a no go. Reaves said even maintenance items at the structure are becoming overwhelming. A furnace has gone out, there are roof issues, a recent busted water line and even fire suppression issues have surfaced again.

O’Brien expresses concerns

Commissioner Sean O’Brien said based on his research the city can open themselves up to a lawsuit by putting the property on the market.

He referenced documents from 2007 when the former acting city manager asked city lawyers about selling the property. At that time the lawyer said the city couldn’t sell the property because it’s actually a park on the city’s master plan.

O’Brien went on to state that he had documents that reflected that the city needs to get the historic commission’s permission to sell the property.

In addition, he said he was concerned that an open hearing with the stake holders and other community organizations has not been held in regards to selling the property.

“I take your point that we have messed this up until now and that we’re kicking the can down the road if we don’t do something but if we also act rashly like a heavy hammer, we might open ourselves to worse repercussions and problems,” O’Brien said.

Mayor Pro Tem Lisa Hendrick said the commission went through this same process with the sale of the former Guy Center. The property at 303 South Water Street was in a park, was put up for sale and the city gave up 25 feet of park property there, it was removed from the master plan and it went through with no issues.

“My thing is that we’ve been sitting here for 21-years waiting for something and I get that this probably isn’t always the best but we have to make an attempt to save that building and this may be our only option,” Hendrick said.

Mayor Jennifer Vandenbossche said putting the building on the market and drawing that national attention could bring a group out who wants to rehab the building while the city still keeps it.

Reaves also cautioned the commission about altering their master plan and decertifying a park before they even know if they have a potential buyer.

“I want to save that building in some form or fashion, I would like us to list it and see what options are out there,” Commissioner Jacob Bryson said. He also isn’t opposed to deeding it over to the state in order to keep the bulldozer from the property.

City Attorney Robert Davis said he wouldn’t rush and take the park part out of the city’s master plan and he’ll look into the issue closer for the commission.

O’Brien said he’s still concerned about listing it for sale without holding meetings that offer the public’s opinion on it.

Bryson said he thinks the time for the basic community brainstorming on the issued has passed. It would be more helpful and productive for such a meeting, if the commission presents options for things to do with the property, for example look we put it out for sale and this is the interest that was generated, he said.

Public will have a say

O’Brien continued to insist that meetings with the groups and stakeholders needed to be addressed because they have been left out of late.

“I reject your idea that there haven’t been meetings,” Reaves said. “You’ve had multiple committees that have had this for years and years.”

Commissioner Patrica May asked if anybody from those groups has come to the city with concerns and Reaves said no.

Hendrick said there’s been discussions for 21 years on the building and you have to look at every avenue that you have available.

“We need to make a public commitment that we are not going to sell this property without having a public hearing, a town hall and a proper process,” O’Brien said.

“The flip side of that is that we are also not going to deed it to the state without having that meeting,” Davis said.

“At this point we’re looking at what someone would offer us for the property,” Commissioner William Klaassen said and then he called for the vote.

Davis said part of the motion should be that the commission will hold the townhall when they get all the information together.

May said while she understands that the committees that have worked on the issue over the years might not have trust at this time, during her several months on the board she hasn’t seen anyone in the audience coming forward to talk about 300 Broadway.

“So, if the concern is there they can’t just sit in the back pew and be uncomfortable and be frustrated without having come here to raise that concern,” May said. “To continue to say we have to do this or we’re going to upset these people, people are going to be upset no matter what you do. At the end of the day, we need to move forward.”

A motion was made by May and seconded by O’Brien to contract with Pilot Group for a listing for 300 Broadway in order to get ideas on how to use the property. The motion also includes checking on the state deeding possibility and to hold a public meeting to share all that information once it’s been gathered.