House Bill 835

AN ACT TO PROVIDE THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION SHALL SELL AND CONVEY SAM DALE STATE PARK TO DALEVILLE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

WHEREAS, on September 22, 1965, E.R. Lightsey, Leo Wilkerson, J.L. Lee and J.L. McWilliams, Trustees for the Daleville Baptist Church and the Daleville Methodist Church of Daleville, Lauderdale County, Mississippi, donated by quitclaim deed to the State Park System a certain parcel of real property located in Daleville, Lauderdale County, Mississippi; and

WHEREAS, following such conveyance and pursuant to resolution of the trustees authorizing the conveyance, the State of Mississippi designated such property as a state park, established a memorial and burial place for the body of Sam Dale and erected a monument over the burial site; and

WHEREAS, Section 21 of Chapter 595, Laws of 2004, directed the Commission on Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks to promptly dispose of Sam Dale State Park, through closure, transfer, lease or sale; and

WHEREAS, the membership of Daleville United Methodist Church (formerly Daleville Methodist Church of Daleville, Lauderdale County, Mississippi), Daleville Baptist Church having since dissolved and merged with Daleville United Methodist Church, requests that such property be conveyed to Daleville United Methodist Church; NOW, THEREFORE,

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. (1) The Department of Finance and Administration, acting on behalf of the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, shall sell and convey to Daleville United Methodist Church of Daleville, Lauderdale County, Mississippi, the following described state-owned real property, situated in Lauderdale County, Mississippi, together with all improvements thereon:

The college lot described as beginning at a point 11.94 chains North, by 3-1/2 degrees West from the Southwest corner of Lot 12 of Section 4, Township 8, Range 16 East, which corner is marked by a stob and running thence North 3-1/2 degrees West 6.64 chains, thence North by 74-1/2 degrees East 3.24 chains to a pine stob, thence South by 14-3/4 degrees East 6.74 chains to a stob, thence South by 67 degrees East 1.60 chains, thence South by 80-1/2 degrees West 7.53 chains to point of beginning, all of said property or parcels of land lying and being situated in Lot 9, Section 5, Township 8, Range 16 East and said land lying East of the Meridian and DeKalb Public Road and all being situated in Lauderdale, Mississippi.

(2) The sale and conveyance authorized under this section, shall be made for a nominal consideration and upon such terms and conditions as may be agreed upon by the Department of Finance and Administration and Daleville United Methodist Church to be in the best interests of both parties. However, as a condition to such conveyance Daleville United Methodist Church shall agree to maintain such property and improvements, including the burial site and monument of Sam Dale, in perpetuity.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.