NEW ALBANY, Miss. (WTVA) — The New Albany Board of Aldermen made a rare decision Tuesday, opting to not go into an executive session.
Instead, the board revealed all options for purchasing Eastwood Trailer Park and property to the public.
When it was all said and done though, the board decided to not move further with purchasing plans.
Residents attending Tuesday night's meeting were presented with three options the city faced in purchasing this rental property and motel on East Bankead Street.
For $575,000, the city could buy all seven acres of the property, or just buy the trailers for $425,000 with a third option illegal for the current board to make.
Now the idea is completely dead because under state law the city would need an appraisal of the property.
A motion that did not receive a second.
"You know I may be a little shocked that its killed it, but not really," said New Albany Mayor Tim Kent.
"I'm very pleased with the decision. They knew it wasn't fair they knew an injustice was being done," added New Albany resident Larry Dykes.
Dykes represents the Southside Neighborhood Association in New Albany, and is one of only a handful of people who spoke out against the city buying the trailer park.
Cash the city would fork out for the property looked to be crucial in the aldermen's decision.
"It was very erratic. If somebody want to buy that trailer park let them buy it. The city is not a landlord and it's not an investor," Dykes added.
"We're elected to be good stewards of the money and I think the majority of our board just decided that city wide that was not being good stewards of everyone's money," Kent said.
Residents speaking on behalf of dissolving the trailer park believed it would help with crime in the area. Going forward that looks to be a new focus since the rental property is there to stay for now.
"Number one is going to have more police presence down there and patrol it much more heavily," Kent added.
"The city can't buy up something to eliminate crime. There's crime right there in the city and they know that it exists," Dykes continued.
This whole issue came about following the Amanda Price murder when it was learned the suspect along with two accomplices were all staying at the discussed trailer park.
