NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The City Council on Tuesday referred a proposal to sell Sullivan School to the Finance Committee. 

 

"This has been out for quite some time," said Councilor Peter Oleskiewicz in making the motion. "I think it might be wise on our part to look right into this rather than jump right into it tonight."

 

Mayor Jennifer Macksey had hoped to gain immediate approval on the purchase-and-sale agreement with the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art Foundation but councilors balked at approving a document they'd had for only a few days. 

 

"You've worked on it. Now we want to do our due diligence and have our meeting and have discussions," said Councilor Lisa Blackmer, noting the mayor had been negotiating since June. "Hopefully you, and maybe [Community Development Directoe] Mr. Nuvallie, or whoever was involved in assessing it, if they could be there, that would be really helpful. But I'm not going to hurt and this is not going to be a case of this needs to be done now."

 

Councilor Ashley Shade, chair of the Finance Committee, thought a committee meeting would be best for a discussion and public input. 

 

The mayor, in response to a question about the need for a vote Tuesday, said MoCA had 120 days to do its due diligence, during which time the deal could fall apart. There was also an easement process to go through.

 

"We can't really start it until we have a signed purchase and sale," she said. "I'm happy with it going to Finance, but I want to walk away tonight with a date."