Cheyenne Council Committee Supports Police Building Sale

The Cheyenne City Council Finance Committee voted on Monday in favor of a proposed sale of the former Cheyenne Police Department building to the Diocese of Cheyenne.

The vote in favor of the sale was 2-0, with committee members Mike Luna and Jeff White voting yes. The third member of the committee, councilwoman Annette Williams, was absent.

The Diocese is offering to pay $1,090,000 for the building. The full city council will have the final word on the proposed sale.

Councilman Jim Brown chairs the committee but does not vote except to break a tie. He said on Monday that if he had voted he would have been forced to vote no in committee due to a lack of information on the proposal.

Brown also said the city has received a second offer for the property, but said that was a separate issue from the proposal put forward by the Diocese since that deal is already being considered. He didn't disclose any details of the second offer.

The Diocese wants to purchase the building in part because it is across the street from St. Mary's Cathedral. Supporters of the sale say the Diocese has a history of over 100 years in the city and has been a positive influence on Cheyenne over that time.

They also point out the Diocese at one time sold to the city the neighboring property, which has since been used for a post office and the Joseph O'Mahoney Federal Building.

Opponents say there are other organizations and businesses that may also be interested in the property. Local Realtor Jim Weaver said recently he though the city should delay the proposed sale for 45 to 60 days to ''solicit other proposals."

Supporters of the proposed sale to the Diocese said Monday that opening up the sale to other bidders at this point would put the Diocese at an unfair disadvantage in the bidding process, because competing bidders would know about the proposal that is already on the table.