Northport mayor says he would veto sale of community center

Wheels of machinery continued to spin at this week's Northport City Council meeting, but a possible clog in the works rose up when Mayor John Hinton announced he would veto the sale of Northport Community Center and Heritage Park should the council go forward with the plan.

The council is now in a 180-day due diligence process to consider selling the 70-year-old park, which at 2100 Park Street fronts on what's considered prime commercial real estate, along Lurleen Wallace Boulevard, the second-most traveled corridor in the city.

The potential buyer is Beeker Property Group, one of four respondents to a request for proposals in May. Beeker has suggested a mixed-use development with retail, short- or long-term leasing, and a standalone coffee shop, and is offering the city $1.1 million.

Backlash has led to online and hand-written petitions, and raucous council meetings packed with vocal opponents.

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Hinton began his remarks on July 24 by noting he'd been "pretty quiet" about the issue.

"I certainly understand the emotional ties many have with the park, and I understand the council's desire to see Northport develop and grow in positive ways," he said. Hinton spoke about other city parks, including the Civitan Park, Kentuck Park and the Hassan Center, noting each had undergone or was in the process of growth and improvements, and that they are secure as city parks, and will continue to remain so.

Opponents of the council's moves, which included on July 10 repealing the 30-year-old Resolution 93-029, which required a unanimous vote of the five-member council and mayor for sale of property used for recreation, expressed concern that selling the Community Center would leave Northport's other parks at risk. With that repeal, the council can now approve a park sale with a simple majority, three votes.

The Community Center "... is in question for one reason only," Hinton said, "its location next to a four-lane busy street, second most-traveled corridor in the city, which happens to be a prime location for business development."

Hinton had asked Ron Davis, the city attorney, about his options regarding the council's actions.

"He told me 'I had questions about the legality of you vetoing the council's recent resolution. This could result in a legal challenge,' " Hinton said, referring to the July 10 repeal vote. "Then he stated, 'I know without question, you can veto the sale of the community center park property.'

"Considering all the information I have, I plan to veto the sale of the community park."

Contacted later for more information, Hinton added "I felt it was wise and right to do so at this time," and noted his veto wouldn't be necessary should either Beeker or the council withdraw before the 180-day period is up.

Davis was out of town this week, but Chris Cunningham, assistant city attorney, verified that while the Northport mayor is not a voting member of the council, he does have veto power over any permanent action taken, and that the sale of property is considered a permanent action.

However, the council could override the mayor's veto by two-thirds vote, which would be four out of five Northport council members.

District 2 City Councilor Woodrow Washington III, who offered first reading of the repeal at the June 19 meeting and has been a proponent of the park sale, was not at Monday's meeting. Neither was District 4's Jamie Dykes, visiting Raleigh, North Carolina, with the Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama's benchmarking trip.

Washington, along with District 5 Councilor Jeff Hogg and District 3 Councilor Karl Wiggins, voted for the repeal. Dykes and District 1 Councilor Christy Bobo voted against.

"The veto with me has been ... when, not if, it will occur," Hinton said. His remarks drew a standing ovation from citizens attending, as had earlier evening remarks by Judy Pearson Holland, an outspoken opponent of the park sale.

The centerpiece of her talk ― speakers who sign up in advance have three minutes at council meetings ― centered on progress, which council members in favor of the park sale have suggested opponents are against.

"Progress in Northport is not going to come to a screeching halt if we do not sell this one piece of property to Beeker," Holland said. "Progress is not pitting communities against one another. Progress is providing something everyone can enjoy."

Holland is a lifetime Northport resident, two-time Northport Citizen of the Year, and as managing director of the nonprofit High Socks for Hope, largely works in relief efforts after tragedies. After the July 10 repeal, Holland said the City Council seems to be "... the disaster that I'm trying to fix here."

Monday, she addressed Hogg's remarks that a "silent majority" of Northport citizens remain in favor of tearing down the park.

"I'm sure you're aware only 4,000 people voted in the last election," Holland said, adding that means collected petition signatures adds up to about 25% of that.

"I pray that we can work together, instead of working against each other," she said.

The park recently celebrated its 70th birthday with an all-day free event. It's owned by the city, but run by Tuscaloosa County Park and Recreation Authority, which recorded 385 reservations at the park for fiscal year 2022, serving an estimated 41,223 people.

Even after the mayor's talk, Holland wasn't reassured. She feels Hinton should have vetoed the repeal July 10.

"We have council members who now just want to win at any cost. It feels very wrong, very cruel. ... They are getting push-back from every district," she said. "The Northport Community Center and park is the park the people built. Now, the people will fight for it. We will be raising funds for a legal fight. We are not going to back down. ...

"You know, it feels like the people of Northport do not matter to them. We are simply obstacles that they have to step over to get what they want. It’s a shame that children, senior citizens and low-income families are who they are stepping over this time."

In other business, the council moved back the citizen's signup time from Wednesday at noon to Friday at noon before twice-monthly council meetings. This followed complaints that opponents of the park sale had not been allowed to speak at a meeting earlier this summer; the council said they'd failed to sign up on time.

Reach Mark Hughes Cobb at mark.cobb@tuscaloosanews.com.

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Mayor, council at odds over planned sale of Northport Community Center