Montpelier will wait until 2017 to decide if it wants to get rid of three parcels on Henry Street.
The village had accepted bids for Parcels 14, 15 and 17, but none had been submitted by 3 p.m. Nov. 28. There had been two inquiries, but nothing firm, Village Manager Kevin Brooks said.
Brooks asked Council if it wanted to sell the lots and if so, does it want to advertise the lots again.
One council member, Laura Gray, is adamantly opposed to selling the parcels and believes the village should hold on to them. The parcels are an ideal spot for a community garden or a park, she said.
“The minute we sell those lots we’ll want them back,” Gray said. “It never fails.”
One couple has shown interest, but they missed the deadline.
The village does not have to sell the parcels even if it OKs additional advertisements for bids, Brooks said.
“Council reserves the right to refuse or reject all bids,” Brooks said.
Brooks asked council to table the matter until January at the earliest. The village has closed its books for 2016, he said.
A motion by Council Member Dan Willis to re-advertise for bids died for lack of support. Attorney Chris Walker did not think it was appropriate to extend the deadline for one bidder.
Council was divided over the fate of the parcels. Nathan Thompson doesn’t think the village needs it, but Cheri Streicher is not in favor of zoning it commercial in the event the one couple is awarded the bid.
Gray said she would talk to the Senior Center or Ministerial Association to see if there was interest in the parcels for a garden to supply local food banks.
The council will revisit the matter at its first meeting in January.
Council approved the 2017 meeting schedule.
Council also approved an amendment to the ordinance governing garbage bins out by the curb. The new ordinance states the bins cannot be placed at the curb until 4 p.m. the day before pickup.
The village is dealing with a few residents who leave their bins by the curb all week.
The village has three companies in the running to build a solar array to provide up to 1.5 megawatts of electricity for the community per day. The added power will help the community cut costs for customers at peak usage.
“This will get us off the open market for some of our energy needs,” Brooks said. “People will see significant savings.”
The village has lined up a better rate for electricity from its solar array than what Edgerton residents pay, Brooks said.
In other news:
The Village Council will visit Montpelier High School at 8:30 a.m. Dec. 14.
The county’s economic development group WEDCO has gone to meeting every other month, Council member Dan Clum said,
Residents are asked not to rake leaves into the street. Mayor Steve Yagelski made the request.
The village is looking for a volunteer to fill an opening on the county board of Health, Yagelski said.
The next Business After Hours party will be 4 p.m., Dec. 7 at JJ Winns.
The next council meeting will be 6 p.m., Dec. 19.
James Pruitt may be reached at publisher@thevillagereporter.com