Findlay may purchase ballfields

Findlay City Council will hear the first reading of legislation to purchase ballfields near Emory Adams Park on Tuesday. Council meets in regular session at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Findlay Municipal Building, 318 Dorney Plaza. The meeting is open to the public. The purchase was first discussed by city officials during an executive session in August, after Mayor Christina Muryn was approached by a bankruptcy manager for Remington Arms, Madison, N.C., owner of the two parcels. In a letter to council, dated Sept. 15, Mayor Christina Muryn said the owners want to sell the property located on Bank Street and East Hobart Street. The City of Findlay has leased the properties, located near Emory Adams Park, 1827 S. Blanchard St., since 1999 for ballfields. Based on the discussion in the August meeting with council members, Muryn said she has moved ahead with negotiations for the property. The city will offer $90,000 for the purchase of both properties. "This is in line with our previously discussed purchase price parameters and additional requests of an environmental phase 1 report, title insurance and seller covering all closing costs," she said. The value of the Bank Street property is listed at $43,420 by the Hancock County Auditor. The value of the Hobart Street property is listed at $13,720 by the county auditor. Muryn said the fields are used by city residents for baseball games. To replace the fields at a new location would cost more than $200,000, not including the land acquisition, she said.