Thursday, July 18, 1996

Panhandle Town Wants To Offer Free Land To Encourage Population Growth

By Associated Press

LEFORS (AP) - As a way to entice people to move to this Panhandle community, city officials want to offer free land.

But the Lefors City Council have delayed final approval until they ensure that the land grab is lawful.
Lefors, a town of 700 residents about 50 miles northeast of Amarillo, is almost in the center of Gray County. It once was the smallest county seat in Texas, before losing the courthouse altogether to Pampa in 1928.

Mayor R.M. Jones said the council decided to delay implementation of the land giveaway promotion to "make sure that it is all legal and everything is above board" and "to make sure there are no entanglements with anybody."

The council expects to hold a workshop and call for a special meeting later this month or early August to vote on it.

People from as far away as Bermuda have shown interest in the Lefors land, Jones said.
"We're trying to build a population in our city," Jones said. "We even have hopes of trying to attract a cafe or small grocery store to our village."

To get the free land, a recipient will have to agree to have a "good start" on a home on it within 6 months. They will also have to pay a $10 filing fee.

The land will be given away in a drawing. Jones said a person's name will be drawn and matched with the parcel of land, which also will be drawn randomly.

At least 100 people have called and sent letters to the city concerning the land offer. Inquiries have come from Georgia, Baltimore, Boston and other parts of Texas. Some have even visited the town, Jones said.

The plan was the idea of Lefors Independent School District Superintendent Norman Baxter, who devised it as a way to bring more people into the town.

"It seemed like it would be a good idea for Lefors and for our school district," Baxter said in June. "We feel like we have a very good community and a lot to offer. We just need people to share it with."

Back taxes are owed on the lots that are part of the land deal. But once the lots are given away, the delinquent taxes will be forgiven and the property will be placed back on the tax rolls, Jones said.