Officials from City Hall and Gilroy Gardens inched closer to a
deal on the park Monday night, but city council members are split
on how much money the city should make off the park in the coming
years and how much control the council should have over it.
Officials from City Hall and Gilroy Gardens inched closer to a deal on the park Monday night, but city council members are split on how much money the city should make off the park in the coming years and how much control the council should have over it.
In a non-binding 4-3 vote, the council voted to direct staff to alter the lease terms to require a super majority for the body to dissolve the park. No binding vote on the matter can take place until at least Jan. 22, when the council is expected the take the issue back up during a regular meeting.
In another non-binding vote, the council voted 4-3 to only charge the park’s non-profit board of directors $1 per year to lease the land and rides, which the city will also acquire under the current purchase agreement.
Councilmen Craig Gartman, Perry Woodward and Bob Dillon were the minority on both split votes.
Monday night was the the first public discussion of the purchase agreement and lease terms since the city and park began hammering out the details. After a Dec. 17 council meeting, compromise became imperative when council members argued about how much the city should charge the park’s non-profit board of directors to lease the operations of the 536-acre park back to the board.
Buying the park would cost the city $14 million, which is seen by many as a real estate steal.
More information on the details of Monday’s meeting will be posted online later in the day and will be published in Friday’s Dispatch.
