2022 02 15 City Council

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November 24, 2021 
Page 2 of 3 
 
the agreement.  It was his understanding that the buyer wanted to break ground by February.  
If the buyer wants to make any changes to the terms of the agreement, then their start date 
may be delayed.  City Attorney Trew advised the Council that if  Jamison Street ends before it 
gets to the property, the City may have an issue regarding ingress and egress.  If the City does  
not have a right -of-way that goes all the way to this piece of property , they will either need  to 
negotiate with the adjoining property owners to  secure a right -of-way or come into the 
property from another direction.  The buyer has agreed to run a six -inch water line from the 
main up on Hammerhill to the property and construct  a road at their expense, but the City 
needs to have a right -of-way.   It is th e City’s intent to subdivide the property into two parcels.  
The buyer will get five acres and the remaining property  will be set aside for the Fire 
Department training facility.  Mr. Wade had notified City Attorney Trew that the y wanted to 
change the name of the buyer to US Farms and Mining, LLC.   AUB General Manager Eric 
Newberry commented that they had gone over to see a similar project in Decatur.  The finished 
project will be a gravel area with concrete pads on it.  The company brings in storage containers 
specially built with huge air conditioners to cool the servers  that churn through data and will be 
a huge consumer of power.   Mr. Newberry stated that this project could generate enough 
revenue for AUB that they might not nee d any rate increases for at least four years.    A 
discussion followed on issue of the right -of-way.  City Attorney Trew reviewed the draft of the 
sales agreement and survey.   
 
Council Member Pelley left the meeting at 9:43 a.m. 
 
Council Member Curtis  moved, Vice Mayor Lockmiller  seconded, to approve the sale of  
approximately five (5) acres of city -owned land located at 2115 Redfern Drive, approve the 
agreement prepared by City Attorney Trew for the sale and allowing the buyer to proceed 
with development work on the property prior to closing , and approve a sixty (60) day due 
diligence period.  This motion is subject to both parties agreeing on the ingress/egress to the 
property and that the Mayor and Finance Director will negotiate with the adjacent property 
owners for the right- of-way needed to provide road access off of Jami son Road.  If the 
negotiations for right-of-way are successful, the offer is subject to the approval of the Athens 
City Council .  Finance Director Keith advised that in the notice on the Called Meeting it 
mentioned two (2) different items.  The Council was  basically combining both of those items 
into one motion and that satisfies the  Notice of the Call.  Council Member Curtis noted that the 
City’s ability to sell the City property is tied to the ability to negotiate the right -of-way.  His part 
of the motion dealing with the right- of-way was, therefore, within the call of the meeting.  Roll 
call vote: 
 
 AYES:  Curtis, Lockmiller, Perkinson 
 NAYS:  None  
 ABSENT: Pelley, Witt-McMahan  
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