Alexander council turns over land dispute to city attorney

The Alexander City Council has given Mayor Paul Mitchell permission to allow City Attorney Pat Marshall to deal with a land dispute involving a portion of the city park. Mitchell told council members the real estate attorney he consulted hasn’t been able to get a response from property owner David W. Jacks.

According to Mitchell it all started about a year ago when Jacks contacted Mitchell about the portion of the park near Highway 111 that now contains the water fountain and gazebo. The city has been mowing the property for years under the assumption it had been deeded to the city.

“He wants $150,000.00,” Mitchell said. “It’s only worth about $10,000.00.”

According to the Saline County Assessor’s GIS map the “Full value” of the property is $10,650.00.

Mitchell says the real estate attorney hasn’t been able to get a response from Jacks on any proposal and is hoping the city attorney can resolve the issue.

The only other agenda item concerned the status of the former Human Development Center located along Highway 111 in Alexander. Mayor Mitchell said developer Walter Woodward is “Taking a second look” at developing the property. Since the former tuberculosis hospital burned on March 18 Mitchell said Woodward is looking into the cost of razing the structure now that the fire has made the removal of asbestos a non-issue. Woodward is the developer of the Meadow’s Edge Subdivision. The fire is still under investigation.

The next meeting of the Alexander City Council will be June 15 at 6:00 PM in the courtroom at city hall. The public is invited to attend.