The Wayland City Council Mo
nday night decided to buy a foreclosed house and property at 430 W. Superior St., just east of Vine Street and the Free Methodist Church.
The dilapidated house and ill-groomed property have been vacant for at least three years. The city is buying it from Allegan County for $7,500 in hopes that the building will be razed and something else can be established at the site.
“Just getting rid of the house could be considered a benefit to the community,” said City Manager Mike Selden. “But it will take tax dollars off the books.
“If we demolish the house and then try to flip the property, we probably wouldn’t get what we put into it.”
Councilwoman Lisa Banas said, “If someone was to buy it, maybe they could put something better into that site.”
But she added she didn’t want to have someone purchase and then continue making it a rental property with no improvements.
Councilman Rick Mathis said the fire department might want to use the building for a fire training exercise.
It was noted the city could use money from the casino fund. The council voted 5-1 to buy, with Mathis casting the only “no” vote.
What is the purpose of buying a vacant home by the City of Wayland? Who’s great idea was this? What a waste of taxpayer dollars. The city council must be good stewards of the city treasury and not waste precious resources. The last time they bought land in the industrial park, they were willing to take little or nothing for it just to get a taxpaying business in there. How well did that work out?
The city has no business buying property with the exception for city use, not speculation. Is Wayland City Council placing bets with our money? Do it with your own money, not the taxpayers. The taxes are already too high in this town.