CMS Properties, a Carthage-based housing company, is looking to buy Longview Apartments, an affordable housing apartment complex on Highway 15.
The Decatur Board of Aldermen learned of the potential sale Tuesday in a regularly scheduled meeting, when Town Clerk Brenda Harper told them a representative from CMS Properties, Rodney Daily, had come by with a letter asking for the board’s signature.
“This Rodney says they’re going to come and gut the apartments,” she said.
Plans for renovations outlined by CMS show a complete overhaul of the aging complex and remodeling of all units. Under the proposal submitted by CMS, the project would invest $35,000 - $40,000 for each of the apartments in the complex.
However, Harper said, Longview is not in agreement with state law that requires two parking spaces for each housing unit. While CMS wants to invest in the property, they do not want to add more parking, Harper said. In the letter to the board, CMS asked the board to agree the current 1.5 parking spaces per unit is enough, which would allow them to proceed with the renovations.
“They need to know if it’s properly zoned, and they need a letter from the city stating 1.5 parking spaces per unit is OK,” she said.
City Attorney Jason Mangum reviewed the documentation sent by CMS quickly and announced the legal aspect of the request was within the board’s prevue. However, Public Works Director David Anderson requested the town add a request of its own.
“Is there any way we could put a regulation in for a grease trap,” he said.
All of Longview’s 40 or so apartments drain into one manhole, Anderson explained. While that wouldn’t normally constitute a problem, he said there have been issues with the complex’s tenants dumping grease down the drain.
“I’m getting big chunks of grease out there,” he said, adding installing a grease trap would only cost CMS an additional $5,000 or so.
The board agreed making their approval contingent on CMS agreeing to add a grease trap to the renovations would save the town a lot of time and labor moving forward. They approved providing CMS with their letter waiving the parking issues and tasked Mangum with encouraging the property management company to meet their request.
In other business, the Board of Aldermen:
●• Approved extending the town’s garbage service contract with WastePro for 12 months;
●•Accepted Tyler McCaughn’s resignation. McCaughn served as Municipal Judge for the Town of Decatur but stepped down to run for state Senate in the 2019 election;
● •Approved hiring Patrick O’Neil as Coordinator of Economic Development. O’Neil, who asked to be added to the employee rolls to be eligible for health insurance, will receive $50 per month salary; and
● •Approved purchasing six tires for Fire Engine 1 using funds from the sale of Decatur Volunteer Fire Department’s Tanker Truck via GovDeals. Chief Raymond Overstreet estimated the cost to be $500-$600 per tire. Any leftover funds from the sale will go toward purchasing a new fire truck.
