Girard Mayor Jim Melfi stands next to an ice-covered Upper Girard Lake last week and talks about efforts to sell the lake and surrounding property so it can be redeveloped. The city previously received one bid for $1 million, but the minimum bid is $4.2 million, so council is looking at its options for the 750-acre property. Staff file photo / R. Michael Semple

GIRARD — For sale: 750 acres of lakefront property — lake included.

Girard officials are reviewing options on what to do with the Girard Upper Lake property, which the city has been trying to sell.

In fact, city council has scheduled a discussion on the sale or other options for the lake property for 6:30 p.m. Feb. 8 at its next meeting.

Mayor James Melfi said the city has placed the property up for bid. But after receiving only a $1 million bid for the property when the minimum bid is $4.2 million, there needs to be a review of what to do next.

“Council will discuss what they want to do with the property and go from there,” Melfi said.

First Ward Councilman Keith Schubert, chairman of the buildings / grounds committee, said one possible option, if council wants to seek bids again, is to advertise the property nationally.

“I have asked the administration if they have had any thoughts on what we could do with the property, and it appears selling it is the best option. A goal is to sell it and get it developed,” he said.

LOCATION

Upper Girard Lake is located off Pleasant Valley Road and Niles Vienna Road near Vienna Township and east of state Route 11. Officials said the lake and property are 750 acres.

Melfi said the city has no use for the property.

“We could sell the property for fair market value and have someone develop it, making it a source of revenue,” Melfi said.

Lower Girard Lake, which the city owns and plans to keep, is located off Tibbetts Wick Road.

Upper Girard Lake includes a spillway and is one of two man-made lakes on Squaw Creek. It was constructed in 1929 and has a height is 54.6 feet with a length of 2,720 feet. The lake’s spill tube allows water to flow back into Squaw Creek and into Lower Girard Lake.

The lake property is not used and has signs posted: “No Trespassing. No Fishing. No Swimming.” There is water in the lake that can freeze.

In 2014, city council had discussions on the possible development of the property for residences, commercial building and research and development entities — none of which came to fruition.

Melfi had said the property does have its limitations because it has no sewers or utilities.

“The lakes have been a financial burden for a number of years,” he said.

BAD TIMING

Girard bought the two lakes in 1995 for $2.5 million from Ohio Consumer Water Company, formerly Ohio Water Service, with the intention of making them a private water source instead of remaining a customer of the Mahoning Valley Sanitary District. The city paid off the loan for the purchase in 2015.

Mefli said the city went into fiscal emergency in 2001, however, and could not afford a water-filtration plant.

So the city borrowed the money from the Ohio Water Development Authority. When that loan is paid off, in 12 years, $4.7 million of public funds will be expended. The terms of the loan make it impossible for Girard to pay off the principal early to avoid finance charges, officials previously have said.

The lower lake is dry. The city breached the dam there because it needed repairs the city couldn’t afford.

Both Upper and Lower Girard lakes were developed by damming Squaw Creek from 1931 to 1933. The land once was used for farming, salt and coal mining.

Wildlife abounds in the surrounding lands owned by the city, especially around Upper Girard Lake including white-tailed deer, fox, beaver, muskrat, raccoon, pheasant, Canada geese, mallards, snow geese, cormorants, black ducks, loon, blue herons, red-tailed hawks and wild turkey. At times, bears and coyotes also have been spotted in the same area.

A variety of tree and plant species also grow along the shorelines.

bcoupland@tribtoday.com