The outcry of Aberdeen residents frustrated by increased property taxes and water and sewer rates did not stop the city?s leadership from deciding unanimously to spend up to $500,000 on two properties in the city.
However, the city was outbid and didn?t get the properties ? two houses at 15 and 19 Franklin St. which were auctioned off on Aug. 19, according to the legal representative for the sellers.
Aberdeen Council Member Ruth Elliott said the two parcels of property are adjacent to the Aberdeen Senior Center. With a large population of seniors in the city, the Senior Center lacks enough parking and space to accommodate Aberdeen?s seniors. Elliott said many have been complaining about the issue.
“We have been talking about building a new senior center,” she said. “But if we had been able to get those two properties, it would have been better to spend $500,000, as opposed to millions.”
She said the City Council unanimously decided to bid on the property, but the council agreed to limit the city?s maximum bid to $250,000 for each parcel.
Funding for the purchase would have come from a line of credit the city has, she said.
“I thought it was worth the money,” Elliott said.
Resident John Feroli is a senior in Aberdeen.
But his concerns center on the City Council looking to spend $500,000, when it just raised taxes to make up for a $2 million budget shortfall.
“My feeling is that once again we see a city government that is following irresponsible and incoherent policies,” Feroli said in an e-mail to The Examiner.
“We should consider how the strange form of government that exists in Aberdeen is going to look in the eyes of intelligent and fair-minded people from Fort Monmouth,” Feroli said, referring to New Jersey residents who may move to Aberdeen as part of the Aberdeen Proving Ground?s role in nationwide military base realignment.
“I think it was completely inappropriate,” Aberdeen resident Barbara Kreamer said.
Because the use of $500,000 of city funds to purchase the properties was not budgeted this year, Kreamer said she felt the city was “not in a position to make such a purchase.”
According to Jon Livezey, who is the personal representative for the owner of the two houses, the properties sold for a combined $550,000.
He would not disclose the buyer, but he said the property will settle next month.
