It looks as if Green Berry Acres is set to be purchased by the Jefferson City Parks and Recreation Commission.
At the commission meeting Tuesday, Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department Director Bill Lockwood said he had been informed that morning the Girl Scouts of the Missouri Heartland had accepted the commission's offer for the property, with an anticipated closing date of June 30.
Green Berry Acres, a Girl Scouts property on Green Berry Road, is roughly 4.3 acres and includes a log cabin, a picnic shelter, outdoor grills and a fire circle. The property has been used for hiking, nature activities and service projects.
In mid-May, several residents of Green Berry Road told commissioners and staff that Green Berry Acres had been put up for sale and they would like to see the Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department purchase the land to turn it into a neighborhood park. Later that month, the commission took a vote in closed session on whether to put in a bid on the property, after learning of at least two other bids - one from the Kids in Montessori, or KIM, School.
In late May, Lockwood sent an email to an official of the Girl Scouts of the Missouri Heartland indicating an executive committee had voted not to sell the property to Parks and asking that the recommendation be tabled for the full Board of Directors to consider. Lockwood also indicated the Parks and Recreation Commission authorized increasing the bid on the property, though any information concerning how much the department is offering was redacted from the email.
In early June, the City Council approved an impromptu resolution to support the efforts to purchase the property for a public park after hearing several residents voice their support.
Because the issue deals with a real estate purchase, the amount the commission offered and the terms of the sale remain closed to the public until the transaction is complete. While no paperwork has been signed as of yet, Lockwood said it looks promising right now.
In other business, the commission swore in the newest member, Cindy Layton, and recognized retiring commission member Steve Duncan, who had served on the commission for nine years.
The commission also approved the nomination of Denise Chapel to serve as commission president and Brad Bates to serve as vice president.