By Nathan Prewett
For the Tribune
CENTER POINT — The Center Point City Council on Thursday approved a 2-cent sales tax increase to fund the purchase of a vacant property located on 533 Sunhill Road Northwest that is hoped to be a recreational center and possibly a “permanent residence” for City Hall offices.
Hilldale Baptist Church, recently bought by the City of Center Point, stands at Sunhill Road NW in the city.
The Council voted 4-1 on the sales tax increase that takes effect on Jan. 1. Councilor Linda Kennemer explained her vote of dissent was due to a campaign promise she made to not support a sales tax increase.
The Council voted unanimously to authorize Mayor Tom Henderson to sign a contract with the Hilldale Baptist Church board of directors for the purchase of a vacant property or .55 million.
Council President Roger Barlow said during Thursday’s regularly scheduled council meeting that the city has been negotiating with the leaders of Hilldale Baptist Church for the building that has been vacated for some time.
An appraisal of the building determined the building is worth .9 million, not including personal property such as kitchen appliances, sound equipment and furniture in the building.
The property has a sports complex in the back, as well as a gymnasium. Henderson mentioned the possibility of adding a public library to the building.
“One thing that was part of the Comprehensive Plan is to have a recreational facility in the northwest side,” Henderson commented. “This will fulfill that. It will allow a community center with a gym, a playground, a softball field and a place for community events. It also gives us an opportunity to expand the City Hall offices. There’s a lot of things it can be used for. We’re excited about it. We’ve been looking for something like this for a long time.”
Barlow said that he anticipates the city will borrow .75 million for the purchase. 0,000 of the .75 million will be used to upgrade handicap access points, elevators and anything that will need to be improved. He said increasing the sales tax would be necessary to make the project “doable.”
“We’ve got to move with the flow of other municipalities in the area rather than stay in the dinosaur era,” Councilor James Howell said about the plan for the new city hall.
The proposal to buy the property was met with support and some questions from several local citizens. Center Point resident Billy Hagood asked how long the city would be in debt if it buys the property. Barlow replied that it would be paid off in 20 years but that it would be “worthwhile,” citing the purchase of the park that cost about 0,000. He said all payments for it were completed in a matter of several years.
Center Point resident Cyril Powell voiced support for the purchase but stressed that the city needs a civic center.
“Our city is changing,” he said. “We’re not changing with it. We’re not changing with it and we’re going to need that civic center.”
Resident Joyce Ashley asked what would happen to the building where city hall is currently located. Henderson said that the city would keep it for as long as possible. Payment for the building, he said, is only one dollar per year because it is leased from the Jefferson County Board of Education. Part of the stipulation of the lease is that city hall keep an educational component to the building.
Afterwards, the council voted on the increase of the current sales tax, which is currently 2-cents but will go to 4-cents starting next year. Combined with the county and state sales tax, this amounts to a 10-cent sales tax overall. For now 8-cents in sales tax is paid for every dollar spent in Center Point. Barlow had previously proposed a 2 cent sales tax increase at a meeting on June 8 that was rejected by the council.
In other business, the council approved the schedule for meetings in the coming year. As usual, council meetings will be held on the second and fourth Thursdays from January to October, and first and third Thursdays in November and December.
In his comments, Henderson said that the first conference call with the Department of Justice will be held on Friday morning to start the process of studying the city’s crime statistics and make proposals to curb crime, which is an issue that has been raised at previous council meetings.
A special called meeting will be held on Oct. 19 at 7 p.m. on an ordinance regarding a burned out building in the city. A public hearing on the ordinance will be held at 6 p.m.
The next regular Center Point City Council meeting will be held on Oct. 26 with pre-council at 6:45, followed by the meeting at 7 p.m.
44 Comments
Teresa Terri Johnson Brown
Just curious – Is this the actual Hilldate Baptist Church or a building they own. Did not realize the church was no longer operational
Jimmy Goeb
Wow where did that money come from
Tina DeLine
So they can afford this but no police department hmmm where are their priorities for the citizens here ?
Tina DeLine
Increasing the sales tax
Emily Serafin Hatchett
This is the actual church. They merged with another church last month.
Emily Serafin Hatchett
This makes me sad. I grew up at this church. So many memories…
Tjo Johnson
Meanwhile on the streets people continue to get shot and killed and the youth have no safe places to go hang out and end up on the streets… #priorities
Drake Riley
Hilldale merged with another church
Robin Lee
Jimmy Goeb, I was thinking the same thing. centerpoint has more revenue than what they let on and they could make thy place more safe. I know for a fact the 5 0’s are paid off
Drake Riley
Bethany Serafin Riley
Deborah Coleman
I didn’t know they wasn’t there
Sondra Martin
Doesn’t it say in the article that this is going to be used for a community recreation center?
Bethany Serafin Riley
Crazy.
Bethany Serafin Riley
Dianne Perkins Serafin
Tjo Johnson
Sondra Martin possible… it reads more like it would be a center to hold community events as well as a new space for city hall. If they actually do use the space for a youth community center that will
Be awesome. I frankly don’t care other than for the youth there. Every week we hear about someone getting robbed,shot or killed in that area.
Michael Stanley
If they absolutely had to have a rec center which they didn’t. Centerpoint should have used all those illegal revenues gathered from the illegal traffic cams from giving poor people tickets by third party out of state contractors. Instead, they will raise sales taxes on all the “businesses” you know whatever is left like pawn shops and title loan places.
Mike Haynes
10% now even less revenue because people will now go elsewhere and spend their money
Charles Moore
Don’t know about anyone else but this pisses me off no money for police no money for street lights but city buys old church building. Where did money come from who made decision ?
I think Tom Tom pulled one over on us again
Amy Lovell Blalock
Read the article. They are increasing sales tax.
Amy Lovell Blalock
Which church did they merge with?
Chris Jameson
They are going to use it as a youth and rec.center it is going to be great for the city just have to be positive great things are happening in center point for sure with that new warehouse and the new civic center and with the food trucks that are going to be allowed to come into the city now it’s going to be a awesome city I think
Chris Jameson
It’s going to be awesome for our great city way to go Mayor and council they are doing a great job for the city for sure more people need to get on board and stay postive
Susan Davis Shelton
Wow. Who appraised that property?
Shannon Parris Mccray
Palmerdale Cross Baptist on 75
Michael Murray
It will be a great place and opportunity if the city council actually puts the money back into the project. That is what I didn’t read in the article. How they will completely fund this project.
Michael Murray
I’m on board. I grew up in center point. I just want to know where the money for the revocations will come from and the up keep
Chris Jameson
They are raising our taxes two cents
Dale Davis
lol
Tommy Dodson
Bradens all over again..Wait a second..What?
Liz Trucks Willingham
IKR!!! Its freaking CP…it’s such an armpit!! I wonder it they have a title pawn???
Celeste M Blair
Sad. The last thing Center Point needed was to lose another Baptist Church. 🙁
Jeff Tuck
Yet another reason not to purchase goods in Centerpoint
Dave Williams
CP IE: Wild West.
Gina S Vines
I grew up in that church 😕
Kenneth Eaton
Wanda Wilson Smith read this
Allen James Hudson
I was just about to type out the same thing. I know they are making a killing off those cameras.
Kevin Small
Let’s try this logic: you already don’t want to shop in Center Point because the council refuses to invest in public safety. Let’s charge people more money to shop in a city that we refuse to keep safe.
Mayor Tom is adding fuel to the dumpster fire.
But hey, those stop signs are safe.
Makes you wonder where all that money is going. Oh that’s right, it’s going to an out of state third party company.
Terry Knight
That’s great sponsoring the mayor church
What a great deal,
He also provide a Place for the thugs,
And will not have a police Department.
Centerpoint Al home for the thugs
Sharon Blackwood Wilbourn
The mayor of CP told a reporter that there’s no plans of moving city hall to the church. How is it legal for him to be outright lying to not only the media but the citizens of CP???
Sharon Blackwood Wilbourn
Sharon Blackwood Wilbourn
Sharon Blackwood Wilbourn
Sharon Blackwood Wilbourn
Sharon Blackwood Wilbourn