Wellington City Council is considering buying lots from old Crestview Heights
by Tracy McCue, Sumner Newscow — The Wellington City Council is considering buying lots from the old Crestview Heights subdivision, a development that was planned but never really developed. They discussed their options Monday night in a work session meeting, and plan to continue discussions at tonight’s meeting.
The city also held an executive session to go over evaluations of City Manager Roy Eckert. Mayor Shelley Hansel said it was basically an employee review. Each of the council members filled out an evaluation form, and Eckert did as well. Since it was a personnel issue, there was no public discussion.
The council also held an executive session at the request of County Economic Development director Stacey Davis, who wanted to talk about trade secrets.
In the public session she asked the city for $42,000 for the coming year. She said the amounts they are asking the city for are based on a formula that takes into consideration things like population and property valuation.
The city has not been part of the county economic development group for some time, and Davis said she is glad they are back on board. The city of Mulvane contributes less than $3,000 but much of that city is not in Sumner County.
Council members decided to discuss that issue at another time. Davis said she has asked the county for $150,000.
Discussion of the Crestview lots took up most of the time in the meeting, and council members were undecided on what to do.
There are 38 lots that will go to the sheriff’s sale later this month. Eleven of those lots have infrastructure like streets and utilities, while the remainder do not.
It was estimated it would take $57,000 to buy all the lots. The city would not have to pay special assessments but would have to pay any back takes. If a citizen were to buy them they would have to pay the specials.
The city still owns some lots at Settlers Creek, another planned subdivision, and that was a consideration in their thinking.
To buy only the 11 lots that would have utilities would cost about $27,000.
The lots could become part of the land bank the city is thinking about developing. In a land bank people would get the lots without cost – or at very low cost – with the stipulation they build something there and live there within a certain amount of time. The benefit would be the property would go back on the tax rolls and taxes would be paid, which is not being done now.
