By Greg Ellison

(October 28, 2021) Following the latest changes on Monday, Berlin City Council approved a request for proposals for the rental or purchase of plots 57 and 410 at Heron Park, with the tender going out on November, 1st.

City officials are seeking rental or purchase offers for the pair of plots that total 16 acres of the 63-acre Heron Park complex.

Berlin bought Heron Park for around $ 2.5 million in 2015 from Berlin Properties North, which counts city councilor Troy Purnell among its owners.

Berlin is paying $ 200,000 a year until 2045 to write off the debt incurred when it bought the old Tyson poultry factory on Old Ocean City Boulevard.

Mayor Zach Tyndall said that since the document was last revised at the October 12 city council meeting, a number of language changes have been made.

“The staff compiled notes from the last meeting,” he said.

Councilor Jack Orris inquired about inserting wording proposed by Planning Director Dave Engelhart regarding infrastructure transportation.

“I didn’t see the language in there,” he said.

Tyndall said Engelhart argued the city was avoiding infrastructure or roads related to development projects under its jurisdiction.

“We put something in the document on the level of infrastructure that was passed on to the city,” he said. “It was so well formulated that we wanted to insert it verbatim. “

Orris quoted Engelhart’s previous statement: “Nothing in this agreement will force the city of Berlin to accept any dedication to city infrastructure. [or] roads without the approval of the mayor and council.

Tyndall asked Orris what would be the ideal insertion point in the DP.

Orris proposed adding wording in the “scope of work” section.

“I apologize for forgetting this,” Tyndall said.

A pre-proposal meeting and site visit are scheduled for November 15 at Town Hall.

“Site tours are open to those interested in bidding on one or both plots,” he said. “This is not a general visit.”

Regarding the opening dates for tenders, Tyndall said while a 180-day period has been discussed previously, that time frame may be longer than expected.

Tyndall has offered to reduce the window to 120 days with tenders set to open on February 15

“With the holidays it gives people a little time,” he said.