Real Estate Committee

CITY OF MOUNT VERNON, N.Y. Real Estate Committee – 2023 City Hall, One Roosevelt Square Mount Vernon, NY 10550 REAL ESTATE COMMITTEE Dr. Darren Morton – Comptroller, Chairman Danielle Browne – City Council President Stephanie Vanderpool – Assessor Donna M. Jackson, Secretary REAL ESTATE COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES *TIME/DATE CHANGE: Thursday, October 26, 2023, at 11:00 AM Mayor’s Conference Room – City Hall, 1 Roosevelt Square, Mt. Vernon, NY 1. Call of the Meeting – 11:04 AM 2. Roll Call Present: Comptroller Morton, Council President Browne, Assessor Stephanie Vanderpool Absent: None Additional Participants: Joyce A. Browne, Brian Johnson, Robin Mack-Director of IDA, 3. Public Comment  Presentation by Terrence Horton / Sentinel on Third (Terrence Horton, Peter Gross, William D’Avella of Penrose). i. Requested Action items from the presenter – a review of proposed properties  Esther Osimeh and Ray Osimeh – reiterated her interest in 331 Second Avenue  Glen Collier – expressing concern of addressing properties up for auction. And will they be reviewed in a public forum. 4. Discussion of Next Steps/”Best & Final” Offer Review, and New Business: Putting Assets to Work  Comptroller noted the submission of bids across the years. We compiled the list of city-owned properties, publicized that list. We received private bids from persons and companies. Last meeting we committed to pulling that list together. The aim is for us to review all information. And by that time we will come back to the board for a review of the process on how to review and dispossess the properties based on examples from NYCOM. The process needs to consider abutting ownership, previous submissions, bids. The goal is to get this completed  How will we be able to see this list when it’s done?  Government Finance Association – will assist the city with value of properties owned by the City, IDA, School District – on a map it will show the properties by code. This process will be completed in January 2024. The city will have an asset map and a playbook of recommendations how to proceed. At this point we are at the draft of that asset map, 1  comments will be given by November 2nd. NOTE: IT is possible that the disposition of these properties will not happen until January.  This committee-once the list is compiled and we have the matrix for evaluation, we will vote on the recommendations here in this meeting, to the city council. The city council will review and accept/deny the recommendation.  As a part of the process we have received a number of correspondence from attorneys (20 Beechwood, and 3 Cortlandt in particular). The position we took was while there were decisions by previous council, there is also the provision for the City to decide whether or not to go forward with that decision. Comptroller has his staff examining any received payments (if any) that exist. Comptroller is asking the City Clerk’s office to examine their records. For the 224 North 7th Avenue property there was no adoption of acceptance of the bid by City Council. The former Comptroller deposited the check but we have not further record. 5. Adjournment Browne moved to adjourn, Seconded by Vanderpool. ALL AYES on adjournment. 6. Next Meeting Date: FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 17th at 12 NOON