Video: Board of Public Works Seeks Redo of Auction for 981 Park Hill Road

Here is a complete blip.tv video of the 7/28/10 meeting of Northampton’s Board of Public Works. The BPW reviews auction results for 981 Park Hill Road (a property that abuts the municipal landfill) and votes to conduct a fresh auction due to confusion about what kinds of bids are allowed. This video is 1 hour 7 minutes long and was recorded by Mimi Odgers of Water Not Waste.

See also:

Gazette: “Board rejects landfill home bid, reopens process” (7/29/10)
Controversy surrounding a house bought by the city near the Glendale Road landfill continued Wednesday night, as the Board of Public Works voted 2-1 to reject the highest conforming bid for the Park Hill Road property, delaying the sale of the home for at least another six weeks.

The board had appeared poised to accept a bid of $316,800 submitted by Seth Mias for the 981 Park Hill Road home prior to Wednesday’s meeting, but elected to reopen the bidding process on the residence after Richard Tremaine argued that his higher bid had been unjustly rejected.

MassLive: “Owner of Seth Mias Catering may buy house near landfill from city of Northampton” (7/28/10 and 7/29/10)
The Daily Hampshire Gazette reports this morning that Northampton’s Board of Public Works voted 2-1 to reject the bid of $316,800 submitted by Seth Mias. The board will reopen the bidding process. At Wednesday night’s meeting, Richard Tremaine argued that his “over-under” bid — which would have established his bid at $1,000 over the next highest offer, up to $359,000 — had been unfairly rejected.

Bids for 981 Park Hill Road Due on May 14; Air Quality Still an Issue? (5/3/10)

Gazette: “Northampton to renew efforts to sell Park Hill Road home” (4/7/10)

Gazette: “Lack of bids leaves home near Northampton landfill in city’s hands” (11/19/09)
The city had set a minimum asking price of $478,800 for the two-story house, which features four bedrooms, three bathrooms, a fireplace and cathedral ceilings. The former owners bought the home in 2006 for $486,250…

The minimum asking price for 981 Park Hill Road is the assessed value of the property. Public works officials said they are trying to recoup as much money as they can to replenish the DPW’s solid-waste enterprise fund. The City Council in May approved borrowing $1.2 million to buy the two homes near the landfill. Money to pay for the properties is being drawn from the solid-waste enterprise fund.

“The goal is to sell the property,” Huntley said. “The solid-waste enterprise fund did not anticipate buying these houses. They need to sell.”