Milton to Buy Land for Bell Memorial Park Expansion

Before Milton City Council even had a chance to approve the purchase of 3.82 acres of land next to , the biggest supporters of that park were thanking the city.

Scott Stachowski, president of the Hopewell Youth Association, spoke at the start of the Monday night council meeting to offer his organization's thanks. (Watch accompanying video.) He couldn't stay to watch the $345,000 purchase be approved because his son's baseball team had a practice he needed to attend.

Mayor Joe Lockwood said after the meeting that the additional park land could allow expansion of the existing facilities.

First, however, the city will check the property for problems, such as having been a site where George Washginton once slept, containing 55 barrel drums or being another "Stone Mountain," said City Manager Chris Lagerbloom. While he spoke "tongue in cheek" about those possibilities, the city has 120 days to make sure the city isn't buying any problems. Within that time, the city can back out of the purchase without penalty. He doesn't expect it to take that long to perform due diligence on the land.

The $345,000 is within the appraised value of the land, Lagerbloom said.