Despite opposition from some officials, Bellevue Council’s parks and recreation committee will explore the possibility of selling a portion of Memorial Park.

Council members Linda Woshner and Jane Braunlich attempted to nip in the bud any plans to sell a portion of the park property, specifically the “cinder lot” that has been the focus of recent efforts after Ross Township and the owners of adjacent residential property demanded it be cleaned up.

Council was informed that the 30-acre park, purchased in 1948 for just over $73,000, is part of a single parcel of land that would have to be subdivided before any part of it could be sold. The deed to the property contains no restrictions that it be used only for recreational purposes.

At its regular meeting on Tuesday, Bellevue Council voted to send the issue of whether to sell a portion of Memorial Park to the parks and recreation committee for consideration. The vote was 7-2, with Braunlich and Woshner opposed.

Woshner moved for a vote to see which members of council were interested in selling part of the the Memorial Park land. She was told by council president Kathleen Coder that this was a matter for executive session. Woshner disagreed, stating that only negotiations for the sale of the property were a matter for executive session under state law.

Woshner questioned why the proposed sale was even being discussed if council was not interested in selling a portion of the park property. Coder and parks committee chair Lisa Blaney-Stewart said that the committee had not taken a vote to sell the property, and was only exploring the possibility. Coder said that a vote to determine who favored the sale was very premature at this stage.

Mayor George Doscher commented that there is no more land available in this area, and that Bellevue needed a comprehensive plan for the use of the park. He encouraged council to create a plan for the best use of the park prior to considering any sale. Braunlich agreed with the mayor, stating that it would cost the borough $10,000 just to subdivide the land so that part of it could be sold.