FREMONT – One of the city’s most prominent businessmen and downtown development advocates gave a cautious endorsement of a potential land deal Thursday, as the Fremont City Council held a first reading on the proposed $1.1 million River Cliff Golf Course and Lodge purchase agreement. Tom Kern, Style Crest CEO and Discover Fremont co-founder, told council members he didn’t know the economics of the proposed deal but thought it was worth the council’s careful consideration as it decides whether to approve the agreement. “I think it’s got a lot of possibilities to enhancing the quality of life in Fremont,” Kern said. The council went into executive session for about 30 minutes before the first reading of the River Cliff ordinance to discuss a possible property purchase. The city announced an agreement to buy River Cliff Golf Course on the Sandusky River and turn it into a nature area for fishing, walking and birding. But the deal would only happen if the city gets a Clean Ohio Fund grant that would cover the majority of the $1.1 million purchase price, Mayor Jim Ellis told the News-Messenger earlier this month. The 83-acre golf course likely would have walking paths and areas for anglers to fish the river, Ellis said. Of the $1.1 million cost, a Clean Ohio Fund grant would pay $825,000. There also was a first reading Thursday on an ordinance to apply to the state for that grant. The property owners, the Crockett family, would donate $100,000 of the purchase price. That would leave the city to pay the remaining $175,000. Fremont has a fund donated by a man named Walsh many years ago, and it could use some of the money for this land deal, Ellis previously said. Thursday, Ellis said after the council meeting he had seen a lot of reactions to the proposed agreement on social media since the city’s initial announcement. He said there were some misunderstandings about what the Walsh funds could be used for. The mayor said the Walsh money was donated to the city to help improve the quality of life in Fremont. Ellis said he received a lot of positive feedback on the proposed project, particularly from fishermen in favor of more public fishing areas along the Sandusky River. “I think people are generally positive about it. It’s not going to affect people’s water rates,” Ellis said. Conservation groups and state and public agencies also have been receptive to the River Cliff idea, Ellis said. The city will find out in mid-April if it obtained the Clean Ohio Fund grant. dacarson@gannett 419-334-1046 TwiNtter: @DanielCarson7 NEWS MESSENGER
Posted on: Fri, 16 Jan 2015 19:43:16 +0000
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