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Century Sells Public Land To Former Employee Without Accepting Bids
February 17, 2022
The Century Town Council has approved a the no-bid sale of a piece of town property to a former employee.
Alicia Johnson, who served as water and wastewater superintendent until her resignation in March 2019, approached the council recently and offered $4,950 for a 1.5 acre lot in the 90 block of Bradley Street, directly adjacent to her home. The $4,950 is the Escambia County Property Appraiser’s assessment value for the property.
On a motion by council member James Smith, the council voted 5-0 to sell the property to Johnson for $4,950 without obtaining an appraisal.
The vote was contrary to advice offered by the town attorney and the town clerk that it might be best to put the public property out for bid due to optics.
“She is a former employee and neighbor to the mayor, a friend of mine,” Town Clerk Leslie Howington told the council. “It may save the appearance of impropriety to put it out for bid.”
Attorney Matt Dannheisser, according to a council agenda item, advised that while it was not legally required, declaring the property surplus and putting out for bid would be wise to avoid the appearance of impropriety.
Council president Luis Gomez, Jr. agreed.
“I think that was the way things have been done in the past, and I don’t want to give the look that we are showing favoritism,” Gomez said. “I don’t even know if that’s fair market value, that $4,950. But the council decided to put it up for motion.”
“I’d rather put it out there for bids, but it’s been motioned and properly seconded,” Gomez added.
Dannheisser also advised that obtaining an appraisal was not required, and he cautioned that an appraisal typically costs 20% of the property value and may not be worth it.
The town council never declared the property as surplus, as requested in an agenda item.
The property was deeded to the town in 1996 for $10 for the construction of Front Street, which now bisects the 1.5 acres.
NorthEscambia.com photo and graphic, click to enlarge.
Comments
43 Responses to “Century Sells Public Land To Former Employee Without Accepting Bids”
Should have gone up for bid! I am sure there are others that would have loved to have it, especially for that price. When will the town ever learn, why do things so underhanded?
Hay FORMER. I will buy your house for Escambia county property appraiser’s assessment value of the property.
It says that $4950 was the Escambia county property appraiser’s assessment value of the property. It was only 1.5 acres.. In century. In the town limits. I don’t see what the fuss is all about. I would not have give that for it! If anyone wants to buy property, surely u could find better! Century is not the only place where corruption runs rampant. Look at Washington DC!! There are far bigger issues to be fretting over than somebody getting a tiny little worthless piece of land. That they paid county assessment value for.. Nobody wanted it til they find out it was sold for the right price.. Greed and jealousy isn’t becoming of a community..
Not even close to “fair market value” since average price per acre in this county is $7000/acre. This is/was most certainly favoritism. Neighbor to the mayor, friend to the city clerk, former city employee who resigned (probably for shady deals such as this one). When are we going to stop complaining, stop voting for the corrupt and do what’s right for our community and take action? Heck, when are we going to start going to the city meetings??
If it wasn’t for all the corrupt politicians in this country, we wouldn’t have any politicians at all!!
BASIC PRINCIPLES OF ETHICS STATUTORY SUBJECTS – CHAPTER 112, PART III
Solicitation or acceptance of gifts (bribes)
Doing business with one’s agency
Unauthorized compensation (gift for influence)
Misuse of public position
Conflicting employment or contractual relationship
Disclosure or use of certain information
Voting conflicts
Restriction on employment of relatives (nepotism)
Oh the dirty deeds go on.
However you have all missed the positive here. It was a 5-0 vote.
5-0
All council members were at a meeting. That’s a 1st.
Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
@ citizen, You couldn’t be further from the truth!!! This transaction only validates what the rest of the county already knew, that Century town government is corrupt!!!
All I heard in that exchange was you can go around offering to buy county land, and do it.
@Hmmmmm that’s because they all got a little something they want, will let you have this but I want something in return. You can bank on it, or at least they can.
You don’t need a market value.
Put it out to sealed bids with a $4950 minimum.
She got a great piece of land at a great price. Wish everyone could have gotten a heads up that it was for sale. Maybe it could have been sold fairly. She had friends in high places. Maybe something else could be going on. Next time let us know if you have land for sale.
Suddenly now everyone is interested in moving to Century. Who woulda thunk it?
Century’s new slogan– We Take Care of Our Own.
I do not know why it was just not given to the employee?
OH Wait it was.
Nice to have friends at the top. That where all the scum float to.
Agree this is outrageous. I believe these members are culpable after they sought legal advice and then decided they knew better, I smell a lawsuit brewing… the town of Century deserves better
Why is this bunch of idiots never held accountable for all the crimes they commit and all the laws they break? Reprehensible people and below the table payoffs!
Just them good ole boys a wheeling and dealing for their friend…..corrupt bunch in charge!
Sounds like Century Town Council is a lot like the Prichard Water Board??
You all have any more of that low priced acreage available? Checking the property appraiser site now for a good deal!
Next, she will ask the town council for a $4,950 personal loan with 0% interest to cover the sale and then not pay it back. What a bunch of stooges running Century.
It was mentioned in meeting that it was not a good idea, but yet it wasn’t opposed?
OK, while we are dealing and no-bid selling town property, I make the following offers based up on the tax appraiser’s value that you think is so fair:
Showalter Park – $168,000 for all 21 acres, including the concessions stand, picnic area, bathrooms, splash pad, playgound, ball fields and the graves on the north side.
Anthony Pleasant Park – $82,344 for all 22 acres, including the football field, playground, gazebo, stands, press box, concessions stand and the cell phone tower
2.02 acres containing the sewage treatment plant — $1,967
Century City Hall – $10 because Century government ain’t worth crap
It’s a nice lot. Flat, high at the end of a quiet dead end street that’s really OK for Century.. It’s like the mayor’s backyard. I would have been interested in purchasing it. But instead these clowns can’t listed to an attorney, a clerk, and even the council president Gomez saying this was the wrong way. to do it. Should have put it out for bid.
Favoritism at it’s finest!!! If you’re a friend of the good ol’boys you got it made!!!
I would have paid $10,000 for that lot but I didn’t know it was for sale. To those that had a hand in this from the sellers to the buyers. You know what you did was filthy, dirty politics and I hope this comes back and backfires on you tenfold.
Century is just a microcosm of pretty much all Cities unfortunately.
It’s corruption pales in comparison to larger Cities, it’s just easier to see because it’s so small.
That doesn’t excuse the behavior of the town Council, problem is if you remove the corrupt members the citizens would just put them back in office.
It’s the citizens that need to turn their ethics around otherwise Century will stay doomed.
Hard to free up their grip (town scoundrels) when they ALL have their hands in each other’s pockets, ripping off the citizens too. They should all be arrested.
Does no one in Century have a backbone? I feel this former employee got this great deal, as part of a “HUSH” deal.
I don’t see why they would want her to keep quiet, everything they do is bad bad business.
Thank You NorthEscambia.com for not being scared to publish all they have going on.
The sad part is that every one of them will probably get reelected.
Sorry folks the Count and State apparently knows what is going on but they don’t care of they would have stepped in already this just didn’t start this has been going on since the 90’s . No one will stand up to these people . Yeah got all that money but the citizens won’t get any of it will all go in their pockets.
This is just more proof that our town council members doesn’t have a clue about running a town. The blind leading the blind. Just because you’re willing to serve on the council, doesn’t mean that you’re qualified to serve. By the way, do you have any more land for sale at a third of the cost?
Netflix should do a show on Century government.
Unbelievable. No public notification of bid, town clerk and attorney telling them it’s a bad idea, and they do it anyway. Citizens of Century- You need to stand up and raise Cain about this. I’m sure it was researched for legality, but you know that “legal” and “right” don’t always stand together. If NorthEscambia.com hadn’t reported this no one else would have and no one would have known.
It’s time to disband this city ripe with fraud!!!!!! The State of Florida should step in now!!! These people should be charged, trial and sentences for this fraud on the good people of North Escambia! The only thing more sickening is these scam artists coming out later saying there were no improprieties!!!! DISGUSTING and everyone in this county should be MAD!!!
That is rotten. I would have paid a lot more to the town without even seeing the lot.
no one on the council that this might come back to bite you in the #&(? C’mon people this ain’t brain surgery. now we know what’s going to happen with all that money the government is giving the town.
If the concern was the cost of acquiring a market appraisal why not ask the Escambia County’s Property Appraiser’s office to provide a current and updated appraisal. They have very qualified appraisers on staff.
Wow. Why didn’t the public get a chance to bid on this? Corruption. Impropriety. Crooks. You were warned and did it anyway. More proof of how corrupt this so called government is This sweet lady would likely have been the only bidder. For once get it right Century!
Small town corruption at its best. Wow. Fire them all!
Century can’t seem to get out of its own way. Clean up your act so that Northescambia.com can have some positive things to say about your town.
From a positive standpoint, it is now it is back on the tax roll and will generate revenue.
Do you know what property is going for now? Forget what the estimated county appraisal value is, property is selling for 5x that price.
What a shady deal, sell off county property to a single person without putting it up for closed auction… I would bet everything I own that if it went to online closed auction it would sell for much much more.
Hey Century, I need more property can I buy an acre at that price? If you do for one you must do for us all, she is a citizen just like everyone else.
Outrageous!