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Home > Blogs > Butler County News and Issues > Archives > 2009 > August > 31 > Entry
GOP chairman profitted from headquarters sale
Butler County Republican party Chairman Tom Ellis personally profited roughly $25,500 from the sale of the party’s headquarters building in July.
This was the 3.5 percent commission Ellis, a licensed realtor, received as the real estate agent representing the buyer of the building. The same amount went to the selling agent, West Chester-based Northridge Realty, which Ellis had contracted to handle the sale.
“We did everything 100 percent legal,” said Northridge owner Dick Alderson. “Whether or not Tom Ellis is entitled to a commission, that’s something the party has to sort out.”
“Personally, had I been in the position, being executive director of the party, I probably wouldn’t have taken the commission,” Alderson said. “If the party was aware of his actions, I don’t think there was any impropriety.”
And Central Committee Chairwoman Judy Shelton said she was aware of the deal.
“I thought he deserved it,” she said. “Because of the fact that in these tough economic times, and real estate being off and him having the ability to secure a good buyer, I was really happy with that.”
Ellis said he found the buyer, showed the building, negotiated the price up $30,000 from the original offer, processed the sale and got part of the commission “just like any other realtor would have done.”
“The minute we sold it I was waving the party approximately $4,000 a month (in mortgage) just for having been fortunate enough and able to close the sale in a very difficult real estate market,” he said. “Some people have called (it) absolutely a miracle I was able to sell it like I did and for the amount of money I did.”
“I felt like I earned the commission,” he said.
The building sold on July 6 for $730,000, according to the Butler County Auditor’s Office Web site. The buyer is listed as Terra Investment Group Realty.
The sale came at a loss. The building cost more than $800,000 to build roughly four years ago and has a taxable value of $836,700, according to the auditor’s Web site.
The party decided to sell the building to save money. In a letter announcing the potential sale in May, Ellis said the party’s “future viability” depended on focusing money on political activities instead of bricks and mortar.
Permalink | Comments (7) | Post your comment | Categories: Republican Party
Comments
By Jim Dorsey
August 31, 2009 8:05 PM | Link to this
Now let me see if I got this right. He represented the buyer while he was the executive director of the seller & he deserved the fee because he got his client the buyer to pay $30,000 more “just like any other realtor would have done.”
By Ellie
August 31, 2009 10:37 PM | Link to this
These Republicans have no shame. None of them are interested in public service, they are in it for themselves.
By pawn
September 1, 2009 8:44 AM | Link to this
This is news? A realtor sold a property, and accepted his profit. Good job JN, keep us informed, I have a cat stuck in a tree out in front of my house, that makes a better story than this garbage.
By Bill
September 1, 2009 11:36 AM | Link to this
If anyone doesn’t think the county auditor hasn’t screwed up property appraisals look no further. This Property was built for $800,000.00, appraised by Roger Dodger for $836,700.00 and the top realtor in the county could only get $730,000.00 out of it at sale.
By Leadership we don't need.
September 1, 2009 12:03 PM | Link to this
It may be legal, but it’s hardly a move one would expect from this party’s Chairman especially at a time when so many leaders within Butler County’s Republican Party have dishonored it through their less than ethical acts. For the good of the party, Ellis should delcine the money and step down.
By Savanation
September 1, 2009 12:17 PM | Link to this
So what’s new? The House That Greed Built should naturally give these clowns the opportunity for more greed. That’s WHAT THEY DO!!!! DUH! Don’t blame them too much. They can’t help themselves and refuse to get professional help for their anti-social disorders. But they do have a lot of friends with the same problem, so they don’t really care.
By Savanation
September 1, 2009 12:18 PM | Link to this
So what’s new? The House That Greed Built should naturally give these clowns the opportunity for more greed. That’s WHAT THEY DO!!!! DUH! Don’t blame them too much. They can’t help themselves and refuse to get professional help for their anti-social disorders. But they do have a lot of friends with the same problem, so they don’t really care.