The Atlantic City Council, Wednesday, voted 4-to 2, with Councilperson Ashley Hayes abstaining, to authorize the sale of and solicitation of bids for, the Atlantic Senior Center, with a minimum bid of $40,000 and a deadline for bid submission as 4:30-p.m. May 30th.

Councilpersons Kathy Somers and Gerald Brink were opposed to the move. Somers said she’s ok with selling the building, but not okay with putting it up for bid, especially with a minimum bid of $40,000. She said “I think we ought to just take the highest bid or say we will maintain the right not to award it to the highest bidder, and I also think it would just be better, in general, if we would just put it up for sale even if we (The City) sell it “By Owner,” without a real estate agent involved. That way we could negotiate with individual parties that are interested, rather than just saying “We’ll take the highest bidder or we won’t take the highest bidder. Because all of that I don’t think is very fair.”

City Clerk Barb Barrick said they can make the ad say “They City…has the right to reject any and all bids.” In other business, the Atlantic City Council awarded the lowest bid contract for construction of an addition to the Street Department building, to Iron Specialties, in the amount of $116, 926. The Engineer’s estimates put the cost at $119, 500. The two other bids, from Henningsen Contruction and Jensen Builders, came in considerably higher than the lowest bid, at $137, 924 and $159,900, respectively.

Ashley Hayes reads from her letter of resignation.

The Council also accepted the resignation of Ashley Hayes, effective the end of Wednesday night’s meeting. Hayes, who moved out of the 3rd Ward into the 1st Ward, creating a vacancy, was emotional in making her final statement as a Councilperson. She said “When I agreed to run for office nearly eight-years ago, I was so excited improving our Parks Department and being a living example of how younger people in the community can get involved, be heard and create change.” She went on to say how proud she is of the Parks system, and how proud she is to see more young people sitting on various local boards and committees who will shape the future of Atlantic. She said “Thank you for allowing me to serve throughout these two terms….I look forward to serving through other roles in the community.”

Anyone from the 3rd Ward interested in filling the vacant seat, has until 4-p.m. May 29th to submit their resume’ listing their qualifications to the City Clerk’s Office. The person who is appointed by the Council, will hold the seat until the November, unless there is a petition within 20-days calling for a Special Election. The Special Election would take place 60-days afterward. The filled position will be on the ballot during the November General Election, so the person appointed would have the chance to run for the seat full-time.