Baldwin City is developing procedures to guide the sale or leasing of city-owned properties on coveted sites along its main thoroughfare and near downtown.

On June 1, the Baldwin City Council gave first-round approval to a set of guidelines for real estate deals involving city-owned properties. The measure will be considered for final approval at the council’s June 15 meeting.

Under the new policy, if the city wanted to sell or lease its properties, it could do so through sealed bids, live or online auctions or negotiations. Properties would be advertised on the city’s website and social media sites for 14 days before any sale or lease would be considered, and all sales and leases would have to be approved by the council. The city also has the option of advertising properties in local media outlets or listing them with real estate agencies.

Mayor Casey Simoneau said it became clear that the policy was necessary after the city recently sold and leased a number of properties, and that the city was looking to sell at least three more sites. City leaders agreed they needed a fair and transparent way to conduct these real estate deals, he said.

The three sites the city is looking to sell are the lot of the old motel on U.S. Highway 56, which it bought last year for $255,000; a lot in the 200 block of U.S. 56; and a lot on Indiana Street a block south of downtown.

“I’d like to see those properties sold and back on the tax rolls,” Simoneau said. “I’d like to take advantage of the opportunity to get new businesses in them. The biggest issue we have is finding places to put new businesses. I guess it’s a good problem to have when all your available business sites are filled.”

Last year, the city sold a lot in the 500 block of U.S. Highway 56 so that the owner of the car wash at what is now Casey’s General Store could relocate the business. The city also recently auctioned off the brick barn on the corner of Seventh and Indiana streets and leased out the former downtown police station.

Simoneau said the barn was sold for $90,000, a value established by an appraisal before the auction. He couldn’t immediately confirm who the new owner was, but he said the structure would be renovated for commercial purposes.

The former police station at 811 Eighth St. is directly south of City Hall, and the City Council chose to lease the building out rather than sell it in case City Hall might need to expand in the future. Simoneau said Saturday that the building had been leased to a business owner, but he did not know specific details about the deal.