The Mt. Carmel City Council addressed several property matters during Monday afternoon's meeting, approving the sale of one surplus parcel while moving forward with plans to market additional city-owned properties.
The council accepted the lone bid of $505 from Tom and Paula Garrett for city-owned property at 115 Chestnut Street. City officials noted the vacant lot is not being used by the city and requires ongoing maintenance, making the sale a practical option.
The council also authorized City Clerk Ryan Turner to advertise for bids on two wooded parcels in the Wolf Subdivision that the city purchased in 2021. The lots, measuring approximately 3.4 acres and just over 2 acres, have already been surveyed. Officials discussed the possibility of subdividing the land into smaller lots in the future but agreed to first see what interest exists in the larger parcels before spending money on additional surveying.
In another action, the city will also seek bids for a surplus mobile home located across from Big R Farm & Home on Route 1st West. The successful bidder will be required to move the structure from the property.
The council also approved purchasing back a small parcel of land near the Super 8 hotel for $10,000 using Tax Increment Financing funds. Mayor Joe Judge said the property had previously been exchanged with a developer during discussions about a proposed mental health facility. Reacquiring the lot will give the city ownership of the entire area behind the hotel and eliminate the possibility of future development that could require the city to construct a new access road.