Opinion ID: 1921785
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: facts

Text: ¶ 2. In 1995, the City received a donation of 2.88 acres of land located on the bluff-top area of Broadway Street. The property was known as the Natchez Pecan Factory Site. In 2005, the mayor and the board received requests from various developers concerning the sale and development of the Natchez Pecan Factory Site. In April 2005, the city council prepared a Request for Proposals for fourteen prospective developers. The City received five proposals, with proposed sale prices between $275,000 and $650,000. Notices concerning the solicitation process, and the receipt and consideration of the proposals were published in The Natchez Democrat six times over the course of six weeks. The board chose the development proposal of Worley Brown on June 28, 2005. ¶ 3. On August 9, 2005, the city council unanimously adopted a resolution to enter into a option/development agreement with Worley Brown. In addition, the resolution provided, in part, that (1) the City determined the property to be surplus, (2) the property was to be sold pursuant to Mississippi Code Annotated Section 57-7-1, and (3) the mayor had authority to execute a deed of conveyance, transferring the property to Worley Brown. There was no appeal by any party of the city council's actions. ¶ 4. The option agreement adopted at the August 9, 2005, meeting provided that the option would expire on February 9, 2006, at 5 p.m. The option agreement further provided that the City and Worley Brown had to comply with all city, state, and federal statutes, rules, and regulations, including the regulations of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History. The option agreement stated that the purchaser would develop seventy-five residential, luxury condominium units with a clubhouse, swimming pool, and other facilities. The purchase price for the property was $500,000. ¶ 5. On January 23, 2006, Worley Brown requested an extension of the option agreement due to a delay in receiving a permit from the Department of Archives and History. On January 24, 2006, at a regular meeting, the city council adopted a resolution to extend the option agreement for thirty days. The appellants filed a notice of appeal and bill of exceptions on February 3, 2006, concerning the option agreement. On March 9, 2006, the Department of Archives and History gave approval for the project via its permit committee. The city council granted further extensions of the option agreement at the request of Worley Brown. On May 22, 2006, Worley Brown gave notice to the mayor that it wished to exercise the option, requesting a closing date. On May 30, 2006, the mayor executed and delivered a special warranty deed to Worley Brown for the Natchez Pecan Factory Site property. The appellants filed a notice of appeal on June 8, 2006, concerning the actions taken by the mayor and the board at the May 30, 2006, meeting. Thereafter, the trial court consolidated the two appeals filed on February 3 and June 8, 2006, and issued its ruling.