Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/112475
Sarasota News Leader March 1, 2013 Page 65 A memo to the County Commission from Reid date of transfer and closing, including those related to the purchase, management and and DeMarsh points out that the county and sale of the property to the City.��� the City of North Port purchased the Warm Mineral Springs property on December 20, ��� Purchase the city���s interest in the spa for 2010 as joint owners. That action included an $2.75 million and an equal division of all agreement to allow the owner, Cypress Lendcosts. ing Group Ltd., to continue operating the site through June 30, the memo notes. ��� However, Reid told the commissioners, as long as the Warm Mineral Springs properDuring a joint meeting on July 16, 2012, the ty remained part of the City of North Port County and City commissions ���agreed that an ��� which had annexed it ��� the city would Invitation to Negotiate (ITN) would be issued have final say over any use of the properfor management and development of Warm ty. ���We might be limited in what the county Mineral Springs. The process was to be comwished to do,��� he added. pleted prior to the expiration��� of the agreement with Cypress Lending, it adds. ��� Initiate the conflict resolution process in an effort to avoid litigation. The memo points However, the North Port Commission did not out that, ���Ultimately, if joint owners cannot approve the ITN when it was presented for the agree upon the use or disposition of a propmembers��� consideration on Nov. 26, 2012, the erty, one or the other could file a lawsuit memo points out. seeking partition under the provisions of Chapter 64, Florida Statutes.��� The letter the County Commission authorized to be sent to Lewis says, ���The County and the Regarding the conflict resolution process, City have exchanged several pieces of corre- Reid noted, ���It also has the potential of being spondence since November 2012 with respect difficult if there���s not a clear desire to solve to the Invitation to Negotiate for proposals to the issue or there���s not a [desirable] comprooperate, develop, or utilize the Warm Mineral mise on positions.��� Springs property, and the City���s desire to sell its interest in the Warm Mineral Springs prop- Patterson suggested the ideal situation would erty. It is clear that Sarasota County and the be to put all 10 of the elected officials together City of North Port have a conflict over future in a room with a facilitator. use of the jointly-owned Warm Mineral Springs DeMarsh replied that the county had used property as well as the City���s expressed desire the process once before in a property matto sell its interest in the property.��� ter involving North Port. ���I think it would be possible to include both a meeting of the enTHE OPTIONS tire boards and also have some work sessions During his report to the board on Feb. 26, Reid where you break out [for discussions].��� pointed out three options he felt the commisBarbetta said he did not have any hope the sioners should consider: conflict resolution would work. ���I think a cou��� Sell the county���s interest to North Port for $2.75 ple of the [North Port] board members are inmillion and ���an equal division of all costs in- transigent,��� he pointed out, adding that he had curred from acquisition of the property to the heard comments made privately by North Port