COUDERSPORT — At a Coudersport Borough Council meeting held on Wednesday night, members voted to table acceptance of a bid received for purchase of a portion of the Coudersport Arboretum property.
Sealed bids were accepted for purchase of a 0.35-acre portion of the Arboretum. The section for sale has been described as being near the Sheetz convenience store where the caboose is currently located.
Only one bid was received from Thomas A. Majot at a purchase price of $352,500. The bid included a down payment check of $150,000 to secure the bid.
In addition to payment, the winning bidder also must offer a similarly-sized property for displaced trees, benches, memorials and other items to be relocated and the Arboretum to be reestablished. The Majot bid supplies property at 106 South West St., across a side street from the Arboretum and Coudersport Borough Building.
Discussion was held between the borough’s solicitor, Majot and Majot’s attorney, Mike Plummer, concerning the lot to be traded for the arboretum property. A lease for the property was included, but the borough wants to hold the deed for the property. Majot and Plummer confirmed that there would be a deed by the time the sale became final.
Last week, several community members filed a petition and request for an emergency injunction in an attempt to halt the sale of the property. Borough Solicitor Dan Glassmire, who was named in the suit along with three borough council members, responded by filing an objection and response document with the court.
According to Glassmire, as of the close of business on Wednesday, the court had not filed any motions related to the injunction or other filings. However, Glassmire reported that a hearing on the matter has been tentatively set for 10 a.m. on Oct. 11, to be presided over by Senior Judge J. Michael Williamson.
“You will have a completely disinterested, neutral arbiter who will give everyone a fair hearing and will render the decision he thinks is just,” Glassmire said. “He’s a no-nonsense guy. He runs a tight ship and I think he’ll be a great judge for this.”
Glassmire pointed out that the bid package itself states that the purchase cannot go forward without review by the court.
“The transaction is not intended to close until approval of this transaction is first obtained by the Court of Common Pleas of Potter County, Pennsylvania, and more specifically that which is known as the Orphan’s Court Division of said Court so as to obtain court approval of this transaction in accordance with the Pennsylvania Donated and Dedicated Property Act,” Glassmire wrote in his response.
