Edit 2/17/23:
I learned the Gunderson / property was not purchased with Open Space funds, therefore doesn't get treated the same way as actual Open Space land.
I've also filed a Right to Know Request for the deed, which is available here. It appears Barrett Township paid $1 for the property, it wasn't gifted. I am also able to confirm the deed contains the following language, bottom of page 2:
AND ALSO UNDER AND SUBJECT to the condition that the premises conveyed herein
are to be accessible to all Monroe County residents and the premises shall only be
utilized, in perpetuity, for recreation and open space.
However, this does not mean that the Township is obligated to keep ownership of the property forever. It means that the next buyer also needs to keep it open to all Monroe County residents.
Two names are attached to the property because Selma Gunderson conveyed the property to Norman Golten in 2003 before it was transferred to Barrett Township in 2013.
Edit 2/13/23:
To those who are interested, here are a few documents that I found from 2018 when I filed a Right to Know request for financial expense and related information related to the Gunderson (Golten) property.
Since the township is only required to retain this type of information for 5 years I figured it would be prudent to share the information.
Edit 1/31/23 @ 4pm
For those who are interested, it looks like there is 2014 meeting minute documentation available through the site search related to Golten.
It looks like this is the same property that I had been referring to as "Gunderson" - I'm not sure how the same property got two names.
Original Post:
On January 18, 2023, the Barrett Township Supervisors voted to sell the Golten Property by a vote of 3-2. John Seese, Pam Gardsy, and Kelly Slinger voted aye. Patti O'Keefe and Darryl Speicher voted nay.
What is the Golten Property?
In 2013 Mr. Golten offered his property on Spruce Cabin Road of approximately 35 acres to the Township with the condition that the Supervisors would not sell the property and would maintain it for use by the community. The deed of March 11, 2013 states:
"Under and subject to the condition that the premises conveyed herein are to be accessible to all Monroe County residents and the primses shall only be utilized, in perpetuity, for recreation and open space.
The property is located at 3423 Spruce Cabin Road.
