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Show A Tough Decision ; Codar City Council this evening, Thursday, will have to make a tough decision as they evaluate and interpret the two major bids that they received last (Thursday evening for the purchase of the El Escal- lime nuuii (.uuptri ly. The Council, believing that it is carrying out the wishes of the majority of the citizens in putting the property up for sale, is now faced with further decision deci-sion making as they contemplate a course of action relative to the property. Neither bid fits entirely the intent of the Council in offering the property for sale, which could justify the decision making body to reject both of the offers. The City Council had asked for a bid on the property prop-erty with the proposed purchaser to make the necessary neces-sary financing through other sources. In other words, on a cash basis to the city. Neither bid fit this intent. The first bid, submitted by Carter Bros. Construction of Cedar City, in the amount of $110,000 proposed a third down and the balance in three equal payments over a three-year period at a rate of interest agreed upon between they and the city. ; The second bid, submitted by Lerin Porter, also a contractor of Cedar City was submitted in the amount of $125,00 as is, but $135,000 if the building is first removed. However, the bid, in essence, amounts to an option agreement for the bid contained a clause releasing the bidder from his obligation in the event money for the development of a motel-restaurant complex is not forthcoming within the next 120 days. ; Further dilemma is the fact that both bids were below that anticipated by the City Council. So what should they do? Mayor Loren Whetten indicated that the .council, after tabling the decision for further study, would attempt to make a decision at the regular meeting this evening. ; A rejection of the bids would put the City Council right back where it started. To accept one of the bids will either delay payment or put the city in a position of banking on the speculative efforts of another bid- t aer. ; We do not envy the Council its responsibility of making a decision in this matter. But, with all the problems that the property has created in the past, and unless sold is expected to create in the future, it is our hop- that, the council will make a decision de-cision to take one of the two courses open to them. The one, for greater money more nearly what they anticipated when offering the property for sale will put the city in a position of gambling on Porter's ability to to obtain financing for development. develop-ment. He apparently is ready to move on the property proper-ty sale alone immediately. The other places the city in a position of waiting for its money, but somewhat guaranteed of receiving the amount in a relatively ,hort period. : Bear in mind that the city paid $110,000 for the property from Union Pacific Railroad originally. : Regardless of whether the decision proves to be right or wrong, we hope that the Council will take the bull by the horns and accept one of the two offers of-fers before it. At lease it will be an effort to solve a problem that has existed since the original acquisition acquisi-tion by the City. |