Mount Vernon City Council unanimously approved a sale of the former fire station to Mount Vernon Brews LLC.
The LLC, which includes Meridith Hoffman and Darrin Luneckas, voiced an interest in purchasing the building ahead of the derecho, but with potential damage to the roof of the building, the city was waiting for the matter of insurance to be resolved.
Citizen Keith Huebner voiced opposition to the sale of the property, noting that Meridith Hoffman is a city employee.
“That provides employees with inside information to what the plans are for any development,” Huebner said.
The building has an appraised value of $67,000, which was the purchase price for Mount Vernon Brews, LLC.
The developers have three years after closing to commence needed repairs to the building and within five years to complete those repairs to the property, or choose to demolish the building and build a new one.
The City of Mount Vernon now has a total of 60 days to remove the property that is stored at the facility.
That includes some equipment for public works department and the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Police Department. The police department utilizes the old fire station to protect vehicles from the extreme temperatures during winter and summer.
Police chief Doug Shannon said that remodels to the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Police Department’s garage space are on track allowing vehicles at that location minimal time parked in an adjacent lot before weather changes.
The city does have the ability to take back ownership of the building if development conditions are not met in the three-to-five-year timeframes.