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City sells acreage behind old Kmart

A group of buyers is purchasing a 13-acre property south of the old Kmart building from the city of Havre.

The Havre City Council approved the sale Monday night by a 6-0 vote after Havre Mayor Bob Rice told the council the property would be too expensive for the city to develop.

"We have been unable to do anything with it. There's no water or sewer to it," Rice said. He estimated it would cost about $45,000 to make the property usable.

The buyer has agreed to pay $9,000 for the property, and has paid $2,000 in earnest money, Rice said.

Havre resident Bert Tilleman said he and a couple of his friends are buying the property but he wouldn't say whether they have any plans for it.

Rice said this morning he does not know what Tilleman plans to use the property for.

"I honestly don't know why he would want it, but I'm not going to kick a gift horse in the mouth," Rice said.

"It's a property that was given to us by the county. They didn't have any use for it," Havre public works director Dave Peterson told the council before the vote on Monday. "It's just basically some hills that sit back there that aren't being utilized."

Peterson said today it would require heavy earth-moving equipment to develop the property.

The property was donated to the city by Hill County in March 1998, according to the deed.

Rice said Realtor Jack Oliver had expressed an interest in the property about 16 months ago. An appraisal showed the property was valued at $5,000 at that time, he said. The Havre City Council approved the sale but the deal fell through, he added.

The property has been for sale for several years, Rice said, but was not advertised. He said the city has several properties in Havre up for sale, and that the city does not usually advertise them.

 

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