West Ward price?

Dear Editor,

Call me a skeptic but something about the inflated price for West Ward makes me think some folks may be in cahoots in an attempt to overcharge the county.

I know logic has little to do with things when local governments make decisions, but let's look at this.

About three years ago, Jon Morrison buys the property for $60,000. After his grand plans for development crash and burn, he offers it for sale at $80,000. Months go by with no takers, he lowers the price to $65,000, still no takers. He then offers it to the county for $50,000.

As the county considers the purchase they announce the next lowest priced parcel is the bus barn at $220,000.

SHAA-ZAMM! All of the sudden some investor from Denver buys the property for $130,000, $80,000 more than Morrison was asking at the time and $50,000 more than the highest price he ever asked!

Unless paying with Monopoly money or trading in two dead cats at $30,000, each, WHY would anyone pay tens of thousands more than the asking price?

Is that logical or is Morrison the luckiest guy on the planet?

Maybe someone thought "Wow, if $220,000 is the county's alternative, with a little creative paper work, we can make a lot of loot on this deal." What else would be a feasible explanation of the current $170,000 price?

I would love to have the Attorney General trace the paper trail and the IRS check the tax consequences of the transaction.

East Ward, a comparable property, just sold for $65,000. What makes West Ward worth almost three times as much?

The county should offer the owner appraisal price which apparently was $104,000. If that is declined, they should use Eminent Domain and condemn it. Eminent Domain is not for sissies and unfortunately it usually works to the government's benefit, but it also prevents unjust enrichment of those demanding more than fair market value.

If the county doesn't buy it, what is the owner going to do with it? Pump hundreds of thousands more into the property to develop a project that will never make financial sense? I have over 93 years experience in all phases of real estate and I thought of buying this property before Morrison did.

I pushed a pencil for hours, burnt up two calculators and could come up with no venture other than one with government funding that made any sense. This "investor" has a white elephant.

The Air Base was the bone-headed deal of the century, the county doesn't need to try to come in second.

'Nuf said

Bill Frasier,

McCook