GOSHEN TOWNSHIP — The sale of a small Damascus park was completed in the township’s board of trustees October meeting.

The prospect of a potential sale of the .21-acre park — located at the corner of South Pricetown Road and First Street, originally donated to the township by the Delzell family, to the owner of the adjacent property, where G’s Pizza World is located — was first discussed by trustees in May last year. Since then, trustees have confirmed with the Mahoning County Prosecutor’s Office that the property did not have any restrictions preventing the sale of the property and received a professional valuation for the property of $12,000 to prepare for the sale.

In July trustees voted unanimously to “sell the property to the abutting property owner, J & A Apartments LLC, for the price set forth in the opinion of value of real estate which is $12,000 subject to the terms and conditions of a contract of sale.” However, at that time the contract of sale was yet to be drafted by the prosecutor’s office and has since been waiting for a signature from the buyer.

With that signed contract presented by Board of Trustees Chair John Bricker, trustees voted unanimously to sell the parcel, signing the contract.

Trustees have maintained that most residents are unaware that the park was owned by the township, assuming that it was already part of the pizza shop’s property, and that it was primarily used by customers to eat food purchased there. Trustees have also argued that the park would be more widely used and better enjoyed by the community following a sale as if it was owned by the business, which wanted to host community events on the property but could not while it was owned by the township.

When asked by a resident in July how the proceeds from the sale would be used, Bricker said that by law the funds would have to be placed in the township’s Parks Fund which is used to cover upkeep and maintenance expenses for the township’s parks.

The board of trustees will meet next at 6 p.m. Nov. 12.

mahart@mojonews.com