I quickly combed over the 42 page Sanford gift agreement with the city and some things stuck out like a sore thumb. I’m no lawyer, so if anyone out there is reading this and wants to correct my evaluation, please do. I just found some terms of the agreement unusual, but typical of how things are done at city hall. First I will start with a graphic of the last page.
Notice that Sanford’s gift is only about 20% of the land being used, yet they want the entire complex named after them
But where I get confused is the cost estimates above. Is Sanford paying the $1.9 million? This is where the agreement gets confusing;
While it seems Sanford will pay for the construction of the complex, I am not sure what else they are ponying up for. It seems all the costs involved with building (besides the construction itself) will be in the laps of the taxpayers. It kind of sounds like a gift with strings attached. Sanford wants the prestige but not the responsibility. Maybe I’m wrong, but that is how I see it. Remember, this will be a model if Sanford decides to give us land for the new Howard Wood.
