177.16 SALE OF COUNTY REAL PROPERTY.
   (a)   Upon determination by the Executive that the sale of real property or any interest therein is in the best interest of the County, the Executive shall obtain an appraisal of the real property to be sold and submit to Council a proposed resolution authorizing the Executive to advertise the sale of said real property or any part thereof and solicit sealed bids for the purchase of the same. Said proposed resolution may set forth the minimum bid, if any, and any necessary terms or conditions of the sale.
   (b)   Upon passage of the resolution authorizing the Executive to advertise the sale of the real property and solicit sealed bids for the purchase of the real property, the Executive shall advertise, in a newspaper of general circulation in the County at least once a week for two weeks, the sale of the real property, a description of the real property to be sold and an address and contact name for the submission of sealed bids for the purchase of the property. The Executive shall submit a copy of the advertisement to the Clerk of Council prior to publication.
   (c)   Following the receipt and review of sealed bids, the Executive shall present a proposed real estate sales agreement, in writing, signed by the highest bidder, to the Board of Control, together with a copy of the appraisal and copies of all other bids received by the Executive. The Board of Control may approve the execution of the proposed sales agreement by the Executive or may reject the proposed sales agreement.
   (d)   Upon approval by the Board of Control, as set forth above, the Council may authorize the Executive, by resolution, to execute the proposed sales agreement. The Executive shall also submit to Council a copy of the appraisal and copies of the proposed sales agreement and all bids received by the Executive. No agreement for the sale of County-owned real property, or any part thereof, shall be executed by the Executive without the authorization of Council.
   (e)    County-owned real property, or any part thereof, that is not necessary for County operations, may be sold, transferred or otherwise disposed of by the Executive, only after authorization of Council, to any non-profit corporation for hospital, charitable, scientific, educational, recreational, or low to moderate-income housing purposes or to the United States, the State of Ohio or any of its agencies or political subdivisions, municipal corporations, townships, or any other governmental subdivision, or the Summit County Land Reutilization Corporation without complying with the provisions of subsections (a) through (d) of this Section.
 
   (f)    The Executive may sell any real property owned by the County with a value of ten thousand dollars ($10,000.00) or less, as appraised on the tax duplicate by the Fiscal Officer, without complying with subsections (a) through (e), above. In the case of such property, the Executive may solicit bids from the adjacent property owners for the purchase of the property, with the minimum bid being the appraised value on the tax duplicate, and the winning bid being the maximum amount bid. The method of soliciting said bids shall be through written notice, by certified and regular mail to all adjacent property owners at their tax mailing address, of the County’s intent to sell said property, the adjacent property owner’s right to submit a bid for the property, the minimum allowable bid, the method and location of submission of a bid and the date by which the adjacent property owners must submit a bid, being no sooner than thirty (30) days from the date of the mailing of the notice. Following submission and review of the bids, the Executive shall obtain the approval of the Board of Control and the County Council to complete the sale of said real property to the highest bidder.
   (g)    In lieu of subsections (a) and (b), above, the Executive may enter into a professional service contract pursuant to Section 177.08 of these Codified Ordinances with a real estate agent or broker to assist the Executive in selling any County-owned real property or interest therein. In such event, the Executive shall obtain the approval of Council to sell the property in that manner and to enter into the professional service contract, including approval of any fee or commission amounts or structure, prior to the real estate agent or broker providing services to the County.
Any professional service contract approved under this subsection shall be approved by the Board of Control and Council prior to the commencement of services by the real estate agent or broker, regardless of the amount of any fees or commissions. Additionally, the Executive shall comply with the provisions of subsection (c) and (d), above, in presenting to the Board of Control and Council any negotiated real estate sales agreement obtained pursuant to this subsection, and shall obtain the approval of the Board of Control and Council of the same.
(Ord. 2009-007. Adopted 1-26-09; Ord. 2009-467. Adopted 11-30-09; Ord. 2015-436. Adopted 10-26-15; Ord. 2023-350. Adopted 11-27-23.)