The Le Flore County
GUARDIAN
Editorial
OCTOBER 7, 2011
The PDN ran a story Wednesday saying the city may have found a buyer for the Tiger Truck property. The Guardian and Update ran stories last month stating that there was interest in the property as well.
The tone of the article implied there was a need to form a committee that would be able to make decisions - should a decision be required - because time constraints would not allow for a special meeting of the full council.
Hogwash!
Any legitimate buyer would not resist the 48-hour requirement for a special meeting. My guess is that prospective buyers would want a measured approach to ensure no harm to their bottom line.
The article stated that it was not clear how much the city was willing to pay or how much the property would sell for.
Huh?
How can you negotiate in good faith without concrete information on a purchase amount or a lease agreement?
Poteau has made it known that they would like to purchase the property at auction as a “jobs magnet” and the Chamber of Commerce is on board likewise. Should all of the stars align, this would be a good investment. But, the stars must align.
Tiger Truck is a failed business that may yet cost the taxpayers. Now it is time for the city to inform the public with full disclosure of their intent and the risk involved with this investment. The citizens have yet to learn the details of the Tiger Truck failure.
There is no need to rush on this one. Let’s do it right this time.
