The April 4, 2012 issue of the Landmark states that the “trustees of the Brookfield Public Library board voted unanimously to approve a real estate contract to purchase the Brookfield United Methodist Church property.” The library will buy the property for $615,000.
It appears that when it comes to spending money, library trustees like to spend the taxpayers’. Because nobody in their right mind would spend $615,000 for the above referenced property. This looks just like the over spending ($400,000) for the house on Arden Avenue.
The Methodist property consists of six 25-foot parcels, which would equate to three buildable lots. After adding the legal fees and demolition cost, it probably would mean a net cost of about $220,000 per lot.
Has anybody checked the value of a 50-foot lot in Brookfield lately? If you could get $100,000 grab it. The Methodist church is stuck with the property; there is no value in the building to speak of. Why then the rush to overpay for another piece of property? A similar piece of property with a church on it just sold in Hollywood at Parkview and McCormick avenues for $134,000.
The location and concept across from the library is a very good one, but why squander tax dollars that will be needed for construction?
Wilfred Brennan
Brookfield
