It’s Official — City To Purchase Spader Bay Property

Council approves $400k purchase on 5-2 vote

By Dennis Rahm, file photos 

The City of Chelan finalized an agreement to purchase 9.8-acres of land located below the Lookout and bordering Vin Du Lac Winery, for use as public access and open space. Voting in favor of the land acquisition were council members Peter Jamtgaard, Erin McCardle, Ty Witt, Servando Robledo and Tim Hollingsworth. Votes against were cast by Ray Dobbs and John Olson. Mayor Bob Goedde voiced his opposition prior to the Council approval and indicated he would not sign the agreement, instead directing Mayor Pro Tem McCardle to sign on behalf of the City.

The idea of purchasing the land was first discussed and presented to the public at a City Council meeting on September 10, 2019. A bargain and sale agreement to buy the property from Terri O’Neal and Linda Evans Parlette at the below market price of $400,000 was entered into last November while the City and sellers worked on securing an access easement to the site.

The matter of an easement has been partially resolved and efforts will continue to secure access from adjacent property owners at Vin du Lac and the Lookout. Councilman Witt reported to the Council he just recently had an encouraging conversation with a principal at the Lookout development who indicated an interest in working with the City on support of making the property accessible.

Discussion on the Spader Bay project, which lasted nearly a half-hour, can be be listened to in the audio segment posted below:

It was a lengthy agenda for the City to work through as the Council last met four weeks ago. One agenda item included a discussion on pandemic financial implications given by City Finance Director Steve Thornton.

Thornton pointed out that the Parks Department, primarily the RV Park and Golf Course, have been hardest hit by the Stay at Home shutdown. In April of 2019 the RV Park generated $238,000 in revenue while this year year has generated virtually nothing. Thornton said “that’s painful”.

Thornton’s comments can be heard at the 37-minute mark in the full recording below of the Monday night meeting.