Potvin objects to ‘delay and confusion’

Article Photos

MARQUETTE - Marquette City Commission member Don Potvin, who was at Wednesday's meeting of the Marquette City Planning Commission, said the city commission should have decided the next step for Founders Landing.

"The exercise before (the planning commission) today was not because the city commission wanted them to do that. It was put there because the city manager wanted it done that way," Potvin said.

At the city commission's July 14 meeting, The Landing Development Group's offer was rejected when Commissioner Joe Lavey voted against it.

A unanimous vote was required because the Landing Development Group did not put in a bid for the middle parcel, instead requesting to purchase it from the city.

If an individual or developer asks the city to buy a property that has not gone out for bids, the city charter stipulates that the final decision to sell the property must be unanimous.

City Manager Judy Akkala said the city's real estate sales policy indicates that if there's a parcel of land that's up for consideration, it will be sent to the planning commission for seeking bids through a request for proposals or highest price.

She said she sent an e-mail to city commissioners asking if anyone had objections to her direction. She said only two commissioners, including Commissioner Potvin, objected to it.

"My intention for bringing it to the planning commission was that way there would be RFPs and/or it would go out as highest bid, whatever the planning commission ascertained and therefore it would only need five votes as opposed to the unanimous seven, which would make it much easier for anyone that was presenting proposals to the city commission," she said.

At least five votes are needed for the city to sell land.

She said the sale of Founders Landing can be brought up by the city commission at any time if Lavey, who cast the prevailing vote, wishes to rescind his original vote.

Potvin maintained his stance.

"You're looking for trouble by sending it back this way, and delay and confusion," Potvin said. "That's what's going to come out of this. I don't think the city is better off to go back to the beginning."

He said he would prefer to sell the land to The Landing Development Group.

"Sure. That's what we voted six to one on," he said.