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Whitehall deal in jeopardy? Inspector General's Office to review facts
"Attorney Dennis and I conference called [With Ms. Atchue] and we delivered immediately copies of the appraisals," said Mr. D'Angelis. He went on to say that Ms. Atchue would be contacting him after reading the material she received. One job of the Inspector General's Office is to ensure compliance with statutes governing purchases. Attorney Dennis said that Ms. Atchue was satisfied with their interpretation of the statue. "We should hear from her by the end of the week." The Selectmen deferred approval of borrowing this evening until a Friday morning session in the hopes that Ms. Atchue will have approved or disapproved the process. Selectman Ron Clark speculated that, "They [IG] are zeroing in on why the we spent 33% more than the appraisals." Three appraisals that spoke to essentially the same conditions were all lower than the one the town settled for, one that had originally been prepared for the seller. Mr. Clark called it a "moral dilemma." FULL STORY "We're past the 'moral dilemma'," said Selectman Michael Shepard, whose brother, Bob, sold the land to Mr. Nation about one month before the Town signed a Purchase and Sale agreement that was voted on affirmatively the very next day at Town Meeting, despite recommendations against the purchase from several town officials. "I am absolutely happy to wait on this," said Mr. Shepard, who added that he would leave work early on Friday to vote on the approval of borrowing, if the opinion from Ms. Atchue turns out to be positive. "Who knows what she's looking at. I'll go with whatever she says," said Mr. Shepard. "You have no choice," chimed in Mr. Clark. "I don't want to lose it, but I don't want any lawsuit from Mr. Nation," Mr. Shepard said. "The seller is assured that the town is going forward with or without the grant," said Mr. D'Angelis, referring to a "self help" grant for up to $500,000 that has been applied for from the state. David Hamacher came forward with a series of questions and regarding the process of appraising the land and the actual acreage of the property, that has been mentioned in different documents as different numbers. Mr. D'Angelis explained that the property was divided into two parcels. "The second parcel is not an accurate description for legal purposes." He went on to explain that the land is the same land on each of the appraisals, but is referred to differently, because the method of figuring the land that was recorded under antiquated standards. Mr. Clark has questioned the legality of the sale due to the timing of the advertising of the purchase, when an enforceable agreement was signed, and asked that all appraisals be done to the same specs. He said that the real value is 33% lower, and questioned why the lower values were not accepted. "The seller would have walked form the lower number," said Mr. Dennis. The closing for the property is scheduled, after more than one extension, for October 16, 2006, next Monday, but the attorneys have made it clear they would like another extension from Ron Nation if the grant status is not made known by Monday. And although the attorneys sounded as if they believed Ms. Atchue would answer positively after her review, her conclusion could go either way. |
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October
10, 2006 — Town Counsel Richard D'Angelis and Attorney John Dennis,
who have been working on the negotiations for the $2.65
million Whitehall land purchase from Ron Nation, met this evening
with Selectmen to deliver an update and to report that Angela
Atchue, Deputy General Counsel in the Inspector General's Office, is
reviewing circumstances surrounding the purchase after receiving
numerous phone calls from citizens and Board members.