The Guthrie County Board of Supervisors met Thursday.

 

The Board held a public hearing to discuss selling the former Country View Estates location, located just south of Highway 44 on Redwood Avenue, between Guthrie Center and Panora.

 

The Board heard from two interested parties, including Dennis Flanery, of People’s Trust and Savings Bank, representing Jeannene Willms and Brianna Rutherford, who wish to turn the location into a venue for weddings and other large gatherings. Willms and Rutherford are offering $25,000 for the facilities and 40 acres of land, but Flanery says there are some stipulations the County would have to meet. “The offer is subject to the following conditions. The seller will be responsible for the removal of asbestos in the old section of the county home facility. The seller will ensure water pipes are in proper working order in the new section of the facility.”

 

Board Chair Mike Dickson questioned the request to purchase 40 acres of land, which is ten additional acres of farmland more than the Board was originally expecting to sell. “You’re adding another ten acres of potential farmground, yet your offer’s only $25,000. The market value of farmland is quite a bit higher than that.”

 

The second proposal is by Brenda Rose, who wants to turn the property into Firefly Creek Ranch, a rural retirement community where residents can enjoy nature. Rose is offering one dollar for the property, but she says there are no strings attached. “We would assume all liability, (buying) the property in as-is condition.”

 

Rose says although the nonprofit community wouldn’t add any value to the County’s tax rolls, it would add value in other ways. “We believe we would be providing employment for several people within the county and working within the county. We believe that the value we bring to the lives in this county is going to be far-reaching for generations to come.”

 

The Board also heard from longtime Guthrie County resident Jim Arganbright, who’s lived near the property for 86 years. He says he’s glad to see the facility will hopefully soon be no longer vacant. “I hope somebody buys it and opens it back up. There’s a lot of old people that would use the county farm, like me, in a year or two, or less.”
The Board ultimately tabled the resolution to sell the property Thursday, and now plan to test the facility for the presence of asbestos and discuss further the possibility of selling the ten additional acres of farmland.