VALLEY — At its Monday meeting, the Valley City Council held second readings and approved ordinances to sell city-owned property and held a first reading on an annexation request.

The property being sold by the city includes two lots on 26th Avenue, a 2.2-acre site off Columbus Road and a 31.6-acre site off 30th Street.

The land off 30th Street is being purchased by Newton & Simmons, Inc. for $205,406.50 and is the site of a future subdivision. It’s on the left side of the road near the end of 30th and is in need of grading and leveling.

One of the sites on 26th is being purchased by Guy T. Stone and Sarah E. Stone for $11,066. The other lot on 26th is being purchased by Pamela Wooley and Tara Climer for $11,011. The 2.2-acre site near Columbus Road is being purchased by Jeffrey Finch for $9,024.

Each purchase price of the land being sold is the agreed-to fair market value of the land.

The annexation request is being made by Kendall Andrews. The property is contiguous with the city and not within the city limits or police jurisdiction of any other city. It’s located off 20th Avenue between the Langdale and River View communities. The request could be approved following a second reading of the ordinance at the March 24th council meeting.

In other business on Monday, Valley Parks & Recreation Director Laurie Blount invited everyone to the grand opening of the new playground at the Shawmut airport site. It’s set for 10 a.m. EDT this Saturday.

“This is a great addition to our city,” said Council Member Randall Maddux. “It’s in my district, and I was there over the weekend. It was packed with people.”

The project was funded by a grant and is an exceptionally well designed and built facility. Local people with young children really need to check it out.

Blount told the council that registrations are up this year for local youth who will be taking place in Valley Parks & Recreation baseball and softball. It also looks to be another busy tournament season at Valley Sportsplex.

The council approved a resolution to vacate a portion of 14th Street. Four residents who live near this location supported the council’s action but questioned whether they would have to pay for it.

The resolution states that the owners of adjoining property pay a fee to the city equal to the fair market value of the land (which will be added to their holdings) in the amount of $1,237.

One of the nearby residents said the road had provided people access to an illegal dumping site and that closing it would be a good move to make.

“The city is just trying to do what we were asked to do,” said Council Member Jim Jones. “I don’t think any of you will have to pay very much if anything at all.”

“What we’d like to do right now is to take care of this and for it to be over with,” Jones said.

M.J. Jones of Planning & Development talked to the council on three properties that are in poor conditions and need to be abated. On the big screen TVs in the council chamber, he showed them photos of the three structures in deteriorating conditions. One is located on 31st Street, one on Denna Drive and another on Hodges Street. One of the properties does not have an owner and squatters are living in the building. The person in whose name the house belongs to is deceased along with their heirs.

A fourth property listed for possible abatement was removed from the list. The owner has hired a contractor to make needed repairs on the home to bring it back up to code.

Council Member Jim Clark asked Public Works Director Patrick Bolt how long would some needed work be taking place on 23rd Avenue in his district. Bolt said it would probably take a couple of months to finish it.

Clark asked local people to keep praying for those injured in a recent traffic accident on I-85. One person injured in that wreck has passed away and others remain hospitalized.