The title to about 200 acres of land just west of Hodge where the Advance Country Club is located, is not clear, and would not likely be eligible for a bank loan, Jonesboro attorney Steve Gatlin told the Jackson Parish Recreation District’s Board of Directors at last night’s meeting.
Said Gatlin, “Technically, in this situation, the bank wouldn’t loan you the money because of the glitch in the title.”
The recreation district has been contemplating purchasing the facility and continuing its operation as a golf course. If the deal were consummated, the district would likely pay cash, and not borrow any money – Gatlin merely used the loan as an illustration of the title issue.
The problem is that when the land was first purchased from Continental Can Company (CCC) in the 1960′s, the seller retained a “right of first refusal” if/when the purchaser ever decided to sell.
As CCC evolved into other companies (Continental Group, Continental Hodge Woodlands, Louisiana Minerals, etc) it appears that the “right of first refusal” never transferred to the newer owners. Therefore, that “right” is a tangible asset that still belongs to whatever remnant businesses of CCC that may still exist.
Were the country club to be bought by the recreation district without satisfying this issue, the owners of the “right” could assert it, and have a claim against the property, Gatlin noted. He suggested that the board allow Advance an opportunity to work on the issue before moving forward with any purchase.
It was decided that Gatlin should write Advance a letter and advise them of what the legal research had revealed.
In other business, the board hired Tommy Smith as executive director. Smith, from Quitman, had been the director for several years in the mid 90′s. Most recently, he has been employed with the Louisiana Methodist’s Children’s Home in Ruston.
Plans for development of the 120-acre tract of land that the district owns between Nine Pines and Weston was briefly discussed by Ruston engineer Paul Riley.
Bids have been taken on construction of a building, and there was discussion of applying for grants – one for trails, and another for outdoor recreation.
Finally, a 5% cost-of-living raise for employees was tabled until the board could find out what annual raises, if any, were being granted to Jackson Parish Police Jury (JPPJ) employees, and to try and stay within those guidelines.
01/08/2013 at 2:01 pm |
something besides title clouded about the pending purchase. sound judgement is the main thing clouded right now.
01/08/2013 at 3:54 pm |
What is this “Louisiana Minerals” Company? Heard of Great Plains, Smurfit-Stone, and others, but this is a first.
01/10/2013 at 11:36 am |
Louisiana Minerals, a privately held, Houston based firm, ended up owning the old Continental timberland base after the mill and the woodlands separated with the Stone purchase of the mill. Willamette acquired a 99 year surface lease of the lands owned by Louisiana Minerals. Willamette also has the remaining rights to 3rd party 99 year leases from the 1950′s. This was later acquired by Weyerhaeuser.
01/08/2013 at 4:05 pm |
Let’s hope that the Rec Board’s judgement is not clouded like the title to the ACC. I am certain a purchase of the property without clearing up the right of refusal could result in law suits and more money flushed right down the drain.
01/08/2013 at 4:10 pm |
POLICE JURY, please step in and put an end to this mistake before it happens
01/08/2013 at 5:25 pm |
HEY FUDPUCK YOU STAY ON THIS SITE LEAVING ALOT OF NEGATIVE COMMENTS. DO YOU HAVE ANY HOBBIES OTHER THAN GRIPPING AND BEING NEGATIVE. EVER STOP TO THINK SOME PEOPLE LIKE OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES LIKE GOLF AND WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A NICE COURSE IN THE PARISH. GET OUTSIDE AWAY FROM THE COMPUTER AND GET A LIFE,
01/08/2013 at 6:43 pm |
Anonymous 5:25, did you notice what Anonymous 4:10 said? Or was that you speaking first out of one side of your mouth and then later speaking out of the other side of your mouth? I have many hobbies, among them golfing (shot my age [67] last year, reading, and on the list goes. I do not hesitate speak my mind when I feel that it is necessary. For example, Jonesboro is so screwed up right now because of our less than brilliant mayor, the Old CTIC himself and if you can find a positive thing to say about him, please let us know about it. I feel, from observation at the ACC, that you could put all of the golfers in Jackson Parish who use the club into a single room and still have room for dancing and possible an area set aside for bingo games. Therefore, I DO NOT SEE A POSITIVE REASON FOR THE REC DEPARTMENT TO PURCHASE A LOSING PROPOSITION {see the article about Trails End above and if you can rationalize the expenditure and what it will take to upgrade the course and buildings and swimming pool and the purchase of carts and the building of a cart barn and the hiring of ten people to manage and maintain the course and can see a profit in, let’s say ten to fifteen years} then I suspect that you have your head so far up your doo doo hole that you are suffering a complete brown out. There is an old express most southerners are familiar with and it goes like this – We don’t have a pot to pee in. SO WHAT LOGICAL REASON WOULD YOU GIVE FOR PURCHASING A LOSING PROPOSITION LIKE THE ACC?
01/08/2013 at 6:09 pm |
People like Fudpuck is why this parish has never moved forward, scare of everything, against everything, sick of his neg. attiuide. He really neeeds some help, get out more, lay down and talk to someone.
01/08/2013 at 8:25 pm |
Red, it must be something that the less intelligent of Jonesboro and Jackson Parish are afflicted with – having their heads up their doo doo hole. I feel for you and all of those others who through their inactions are the real ones holding the town and parish back. I am most certainly not against everything. I appreciate what a former mayor did for the town – the trees along 167, the sidewalks down town, the Christmas in the Pines and on and on I could go with his accomplishments. I know the good old days are gone but with forward thinking people (not the CTIC of Jonesboro or the people wishing to purchase the ACC) those times can return. They won’t as long as most people (black and white) sit on their asses and let things just drift along, happy with the status quo. If I could leave this parish, I would but at my age it may be just a little to late to pull up roots. Maybe you can get a collection going to expedite my leaving. If you do, I will reveal my real name and address. Until then I will express myself as I see fit and if you happen not to agree with my opinion, so be it. There are intelligent people in this world and you my SFB DDA fellow parish person.
01/08/2013 at 9:17 pm |
1st line 4th word should be “are”
1st line 12th word should be “scared”
2nd line 8th word should be “attitude”
2nd line last word should be “needs”
01/10/2013 at 12:16 pm |
Apparently you should be mayor police jury president school teacher and a pro golfer. You need to be Obama’s right hand man
01/10/2013 at 4:29 pm |
Anonymous 12:16, I have no aspirations for any office or position. I voted for President Obama and during my educational process many, many years ago I developed an admiration for those who devote their lives to educating others. Golf, well, that has been just a hobby for nearly 50 years and I can hold my own but certainly not at the pro level. You, on the other hand, don’t seem to have a good understanding of the subjects about which you speak. It would be a favor to us all if you were to just stop posting.
01/12/2013 at 11:42 am |
enough said you voted for noboma
01/13/2013 at 1:57 pm |
or Skating Rink owner! lol
01/08/2013 at 6:51 pm |
I’m with fudpuck, there are very few people in Jackson who play golf, the money could be better spent on something for the whole parish.my .02 cents.
01/09/2013 at 3:20 pm |
Recreational Department should lease the facility for 5 years with options to extend the lease to make sure it is a viable recreational facility. This bypasses the Right Of First Refusal and lets the Recreational Department continue with its plans. If the facility is not a viable recreational facility then the recreation department could opt not to extend lease.
01/09/2013 at 4:09 pm |
Right on, D.J. Great logic!
01/09/2013 at 8:54 pm |
Thank You DJ!
01/17/2013 at 9:32 pm |
Can public money be used to improve a non-owned asset? The facility will never be viable without a significant investment.
01/09/2013 at 6:23 pm |
We need to elect D. J. to the Recreaional Department, even if his residence is in another town. We really need him more on the Town Council, he does have a house in Jonesboro, but it may not be inside the city limits. .Maybe mayor?
01/09/2013 at 6:27 pm |
Too bad — the two guys who could help us the most in Jonesboro live in Ruston: Walter and D. J.
01/10/2013 at 5:04 pm |
Yeah! Lest we forget Randy Alexander, and Terry Ewing. What a shame. Seems as though MOST of our good, professional white businessmen have moved out of Jackson Parish. But, I know there is someone still in Jonesboro.
Oh, how we yearn for the good ol’ days of honesty. It has certainly gone awry within the past 5-6 years.
01/10/2013 at 9:59 pm |
You idiots make your money in Jackson parish and live in lincoln. that way you dont have to pot up with the stinch of Jackson parish
01/12/2013 at 2:00 pm |
Well, do you blame them? Of course when they left Jonesboro for Ruston many, many years ago, Jonesboro was a triving honest little town. No corruption at that point in time.
It is only been at the hands of the esteemed one that has virtually destroyed this little town. What is wrong with his fricking little brain? Maybe we need to refer to him as left brain……meaning his brain has “left” him.
01/12/2013 at 11:15 am |
That just shows what good sense they have. Maybe they saw this coming. You will see a lot of this in the coming months and years unless things are turned around in a hurry, which doesn’t look likely.
01/12/2013 at 11:52 am |
Did any of you negative people know that La Tech is very interested in buying Ruston Country Club. Apparently they dont think its such a bad deal for the parish to have a public golf course. I dont know how many of you have been to Arcadia to play but it is very nice and that is what Jackson Parish is trying to do. Think its a great deal
01/18/2013 at 4:28 pm |
Don’t see your connection between La. Tech wanting to buy a golf course and a parish recreation committee buying one. There would be a lot of difference between the funds avaiable from state grants plus graduates’ donations for Tech and the tax money collected by the Recreation Department. I don’t think offering an alternative to the proposal is a “negative” approach, either. It is just a look at the pros and cons of both plans. Some may term your idea as “negative.”