By By ERIKA PICKLES / Niles Daily Star
NILES – The Niles City Council Monday evening gave the OK for a land contract agreement with Olympia Health Care, Inc., of Niles to purchase the Kawneer building in the amount of $200,000.
The company plans to move its offices to the first floor of the building and lease out the remaining space to other small business, as well as the existing tenants.
Olympia Health Care, Inc., is a home health care business, which also manages nursing homes.
The agreement includes a $15,000 down payment and a three-year, 6 percent balloon interest payment.
When council members asked what the money from the building would be used for, City Administrator Terry Eull was unsure at the time. However, a few suggestions were made that it should be used to fix up the City Hall.
In other news, Derek Lamson, 17, a local Boy Scout, was honored with a certificate of appreciation for coordinating improvements to the Riverfront Park Trail.
"I just want to say thanks for doing the trail. It really falls into the direction we are heading with the parks and recreation," council member Dan VandenHeede said.
Lamson and other volunteers worked to clear the trail by removed and cutting back brush and prepared the trail for mulch back in September.
Other items being approved included:
A request from Main Street DDA to hold the fourth annual Hunter Ice Festival from Jan. 18 to 20 downtown.
A request from Main Street DDA to install the Hunter Ice Festival banner on Main Street on or about Dec. 10 until Jan. 21.
The use of the corner parking lot on Second and Sycamore streets for a wine and beer tasting tent during the Hunter Ice Festival.
A request from the Niles City Fire Department to jointly purchase with the Niles Charter Twp. Fire Department a 15-horse power vacuum system for use by both fire departments at a cost to the city of $2,361.50 plus shipping.
A quote of $4,199.12 for the purchase of a network server from PC Mall Government of Torrance, Calif.
The combined bids of $26,160 for the purchase of distribution wood poles from Brown Wood Preserving of Pensacola, Fla., and North Pacific of Portland, Ore.
The appointment of Barbara Cook to the fort St. Joseph Archeology Board effective immediately and ending on a date to be specified by the board at a later time.
The appointments of Victor Gutchenritter, William Gallagher, B.J. Cole, Edward Miller and Jim Zaher to four year terms on the Utilities Department Board effective immediately and expiring on Dec. 31, 2011.