Northport rescinds plan to sell community center site for $1.1 million

Despite a bit of confusion on the vote, and following a summer of sound and fury, the battle over the Northport Community Center and Heritage Park appears to have died, quietly.

Councilor Christy Bobo added an agenda item to Monday's council meeting, voting to let the sale idea expire.

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Back in late spring, a resolution was brought before the council, proposing to sell the park site for $1.1 million to Beeker Property Group, which offered a project creating residential housing and a coffeeshop. The plan was to be voted on after a six-month due-diligence period.

On June 19, the council also voted 3-2 to repeal Resolution 93-029, which had previously required a unanimous vote from the city's five-member council and mayor to sell city property used for recreational purposes, thus making it easier to sell city parks. That too, was met with vociferous opposition, at council meetings, on social media, and in the press, with some suggesting the council was trying to change the rules while a game was still in play.

Mayor John Hinton said in July he would veto the sale, should it go forward. However, the council could have overridden his veto by a two-thirds vote, which would require four out of the five Northport councilors.

The question of his veto was made moot by the accepted resolution Monday. It seemed to be headed for unanimous approval, though when the vote came to councilor Jamie Dykes, she asked for clarification, saying she didn't fully understand what Bobo had presented.

Council President Jeff Hogg explained the vote was to rescind the request for proposals from Beeker, and that Bobo's resolution further asked that the city no longer look to redevelop the site, but instead make repairs to the standing center, and seek to improve on the 70-year-old park's functions. After Hogg explained, Dykes joined the others with a yes vote.

Reached after the meeting, for thoughts on behalf of citizens who'd organized against the sale, Northport resident Sandy Knisely Barnidge expressed appreciation for the decision.

"I want to say thank you to the council for listening to everyone in town who’s been speaking up for the past several months on behalf of the park and community center," she said.

"We have an opportunity now to revitalize the park into a really great gateway to Northport, and I’m excited to hear more about the council’s plans to reopen the community center to the public as soon as possible.

"Tonight’s decision to rescind the due diligence period is a wonderful holiday gift."

Hogg later added, before adjournment, that members of the retail committee still hoped to work with Beeker, though not at that particular site. The change reflected understanding of community needs, he said, and "the passion of our citizens." He also expressed a wish, at Christmas, to "stop the discord," and further hoped communication could be improved as a result of the months of dispute.

"I hope we all will start listening more ...." he said. "And that goes for myself as well. I hope to be a better person for that moving forward."

After applause, he added with a smile, "And I expect the same in return."

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

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Northport rescinds plan to sell community center site for $1.1 million