TRUMBULL COUNTY Company to appraise value of Girard Lakes

Appraisal of Girard Lakes will take about 45 days, according to the proposal.
By TIM YOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
GIRARD -- A Pittsburgh company will be hired to appraise the value of Girard Lakes for possible sale.
Diversified Evaluation Co. was the only valid proposal with a bid of $14,000. A second company was disqualified because its bid was submitted after the deadline, Mayor James J. Melfi said Tuesday.
The mayor said the city controlling board will meet to hire Diversified, noting the contract doesn't have to be approved by city council.
Melfi has advocated the sale of the lakes as a way of getting city out of state-imposed fiscal emergency and because of its burden on the general fund.
Also, Melfi has said he's concerned about the city's liability should the aged Lower Girard Lake dam fail.
What city paid
The city paid Consumers Ohio Water Co. $2.4 million in the mid-1990s for the lakes and pays about $235,000 annually on the loan to buy them. Over the life of the loan, the city will have paid $4.9 million for the property.
"The purpose of the appraisal is to provide an opinion of the market value of the real estate in connection with the possible disposition of the real estate," James E. Lignelli, Diversified president, wrote in his proposal.
The lakes are about 1,000 acres, 350 of the acres comprising the two lakes.
The scope of the appraisal, Lignelli said in his proposal, will include a review of pertinent public records, analysis of relevant market data and review of the demand for various uses, such as housing.
Lignelli said the appraisal would be complete in 45 days after being awarded the contract.
While Melfi supports the sale of the lakes, Councilmen Charles Doran, D-4th, and his property research committee oppose it.
The committee and the Citizens Committee on Property Research have proposed repairing the Girard Lower Lake dam and building a water treatment plant to become a water source for Trumbull County.
yovich@vindy.com