2024 12 17 Packet website

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Agenda Item 
XI a. Disposing of North City School 
Overview 
ATHENS CITY COUNCIL 
REGULAR SESSION 
Tuesday, December 17, 2024 
North City School is a 45-year-old city-owned facility located at 1601 Palos Street and has been 
vacant for about 15+ months. According to a February 2024 appraisal of the property, the vacant 
and mostly empty school property generally consists of 7.92 acres of R-2 zoned land and a 43,608 
square foot building in poor condition with a market value of $700,000 to $800,000. It should be 
noted that the Parks & Recreation Department still uses this facility for basketball practice since 
the city does not have any indoor basketball courts for its 200+ participant basketball program and 
must rely on the school system for courts. A site plan of the property is attached. 
During the previous 15+ months, the city has been expending funds on this vacant building and 
property including paying the monthly utility bills ( electric, gas, water, wastewater) which 
averages about $4,175 per month/$50,100 per year, $480 per year in fire alarm monitoring, and 
$8,000 per year for grass mowing for a total annual cost of $58,580 excluding any repairs. 
The city charter, Article III Corporate Powers (9), authorizes the city "to acquire or receive and 
hold, maintain, improve, sell, lease, mortgage, pledge, or otherwise dispose of property, real or 
personal, and any estate or interest therein, within or without the city or state." 
If the council wants to proceed with disposing of this real property, the council would need to 
declare the school building and property as surplus city property no longer needed for city 
operations, determine the property's values (completed as of February 2024), prepare a resolution 
approving the disposition, and authorize the city manager to dispose of the property through public 
auction (preferred method), sealed bid, or by real estate agent with a minimum bid to be 
determined. If approved, the disposal method will be well advertised and the school cleaned up 
and all items such as old furniture removed. 
Since the city has a written agreement with the City Board of Education regarding this property, it 
states that "Athens may hold, improve, sell, or lease the property, with any decision, including the 
manner and method of selling or leasing the property to be within the discretion of Athens." The 
agreement also states, "in the event of a sale of the property, the net sale proceeds shall be applied 
by Athens toward the debt service related to the BOE building program or for other school 
purposes." 
Summary of the December 9, 2024 Work Session 
Following discussion of selling, demolishing, and leasing the building, the consensus was to place 
this item on the December 17, 2024 agenda under New Business for further consideration. 
Action to Consider 
Motion, second, and vote are needed to authorize the city manager to sell, demolish, or lease the 
building. 
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