Joe Nasser and the Township of Sumpter have entered into a 12-page purchase agreement for the vacant property at the southeast corner of Sumpter and Willis roads that Sumpter has been trying to sell for a decade.
Nasser will pay $40,000 for the parcel, which formerly held a gas station and, to the south, the old township fire station.
He will have to have his building in place within a year, after first running his plans by the township planning commission and township board for approval.
Nasser, who has been trying for eight years to get Van Buren Township to allow him to renovate his Clark gas station at the corner of Sumpter and Hull roads, said he looks forward to working with Sumpter successfully.
The township board voted to accept the negotiated agreement with Nasser 5-1, with Trustee Linda Kennedy absent and Clerk Clarence Hoffman voting no.
Hoffman said the property should have been put up for public sale with an advertisement in the newspaper, so everyone could bid on it.
Hoffman said $40,000 is too cheap. He said the township owns 42 pieces of property “sitting in a bank,” and in the past the township advertised that property is for sale.
Hoffman said the township has $200,000 tied up in the property at Sumpter/Willis because of all the underground pollution cleanup necessary over the years.
Township attorney Rob Young agreed the township has been trying to clean up and sell the former fire hall property. He said in the past a bank, market, drug store, restaurant and other uses were proposed and nothing happened.
At one point it was thought creation of a Downtown Development Authority would encourage development of a downtown in that area, Young said.
Nasser’s agreement requires him to come to the planning commission and township board within a year to show how he plans to develop it and to review any future tenants to see if they are agreeable to the township.
If that isn’t done, the $40,000, which is in escrow, would revert back to Nasser with a $7,500 discount deleted.
“An alternative is to do nothing and we’ve been doing that,” Young said.
Supervisor Johnny Vawters said the township wants to have control over what goes into that parcel, which is located in what planning consultants have designated as Sumpter’s downtown.
“This will be the first commercial building in our downtown and we want to control it,” said Deputy Supervisor Craig Moody later. He said he has no problem with putting out the residential property for bids.
“I have nothing against Mr. Nasser buying the property, but it’s never been advertised for sale,” Hoffman said.
“I wouldn’t have a problem putting it in the paper and someone else doing a project,” Nasser told the board.
“We have hundreds and hundreds of acres for sale,” said Supervisor Vawters. “I’ve been here 20 years and it was being torn down when I came … Over the years only one person asked about the property … Mr. Nasser stepped forward … He is making a commitment… In ONE YEAR, there will be a new building adding to our tax base.”
“You can just buy property, but you have to do something with it,” Nasser said, adding he has worked at building in Van Buren Township, “… and it is hard… I have no problem with what you want to do.”
When Clerk Hoffman asked if he would sign and execute the agreement with Supervisor Vawters, as required, he said he would if the vote was in favor. It was and he said he would sign.
In other business at the Feb. 9 meeting, the township board:
* Approved changing the effective date of the new district library agreement from Feb. 1 to March 1;
* Approved Sumpter’s participation, with seven others in one legal action joining 14 other communities, in a challenge of the state over new requirements for discharge permits. Attorney Young said the complaint and supporting documents are in the clerk’s office for review;
* Approved signing the interlocal agreement for the fire department;
* Approved allowing the community center gymnasium to be used free for a fund raiser to help victims of the Haiti disaster from noon to 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 19, tickets $8. All proceeds go to the Family Worship Center of Montrouis, Haiti. Donations are being handled through the Public Service Credit Union and donors may obtain a receipt there for income tax purposes. Chairperson is Wanda Watkins, with Leona Mixon, Maryann Watson, Mary Foster, and Denise Droullard assisting;
* Heard an invitation to attend the Thursday, Feb. 25 Black History Celebration with a potluck at 12:30 p.m. in the community center gym. RSVP by Feb. 19 to 461-9373;
* After a public hearing, approved transferring $10,769.55 in CDBG funds from park funds to blighted homes;
* Approved forming an International Property Maintenance Code Construction Board of Appeals, with the dangerous building part of the code to include a show-cause hearing before action;
* Approved the supervisor’s appointments of Mark Miles, Mark Jerome, John Craddick, Toby Leis, and Bruce Crowley to the IPMC Construction Board of Appeals;
* After a show-cause hearing, approved demolishing dangerous buildings at 27056 Sumpter Road, 43525 Willis, 23496 Sumpter, 28865 Sumpter, 24985 Sumpter, and 45530 Willow;
* Approved the request of Tom Akans to give him an additional 90 days to demolish the building at 46367 Kozma, a property he bought last May. Also, the house slated for demolition at 42811 Wear was taken off the list because it is being renovated. The house at 45995 Wear was also taken off the list because the out buildings have been demolished and the house is being rehabbed. The property at 45530 Willow was left on the list to see if the township bids for demolition were more than the individual bid received by the property owner. The house was damaged by fire and will be demolished by March 1 so a new house can be built;
* Approved purchase of three sewer grinder pumps and accessories at a cost of $11,583;
* Approved training for three Board of Review members in Ann Arbor for a total of @$255, including books;
* Approved approval of $51,050 for the Parks & Recreation “Events” budget, which includes Sumpter Fest;
* Approved the three-year contract with Marvin Drews to be the Department of Public Works Superintendent/Director;
* Approved allowing the Sumpter Senior Center to donate their used sewing machines to the Eton Senior Center in Dearborn Heights. Trustee Alan Bates said he would buy an additional two new machines to donate to Eton in honor of his late parents;
* Approved ordering of a 2011 Ford F250 pickup for the Water Department on the Macomb County contract bid, with delivery after April 1, with a price of $26,925;
* Approved use of the community center gym for a Blood Drive from 11 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. on April 9;
* Approved purchasing ammunition for police training at a cost of $2,070;
* Approved hiring retired sheriff’s deputy Daniel Roulo as a part-time police officer. Roulo is 46, and has been married 25 years with two children (son in the Navy, daughter getting a nursing degree);
* Heard Police Chief Jim Pierce praise attorney Young for the job he did at a recent legal session, commenting, “It’s the first time I saw him do what he does.” Chief Pierce went on to say it was like “Daniel Webster fighting the devil.” Young laughingly offered him some money for the compliment, but Chief Pierce turned down the offer; and
* Heard Elizabeth Banks of Martinsville Road, new property owner, said they have tried to put up a home for four years and finally got in before Thanksgiving with a temporary certificate of occupancy. She praised the work of building official Larry