Testimony — Marcey Jeter, Ohio Department of Administrative Services, on House Bill 379
Summary
Testimony of Marcey Jeter, Administrator of the Office of Real Estate and Planning in the Ohio Department of Administrative Services, to the House Development Committee in support of House Bill 379, which she says will allow for the conveyance of 14 pieces of property. The testimony describes property to be sold by public auction, including approximately 1.743 acres of state-owned land adjacent to the Dover Armory in Dover, Tuscarawas County, with an estimated value of over $700,000. It also describes approximately 153 acres to be conveyed from the Ohio Rail Development Commission to the Trumbull County Metroparks District, and the transfer of the National Aviation Hall of Fame building to the Secretary of the United States Air Force.
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“Testimony — Marcey Jeter, Ohio Department of Administrative Services, on House Bill 379.”
Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/2025-10-08-development-testimony-testimony-11056-ed50348fbc/
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Good morning, Chairman Hoops, Vice-Chair Lorenz, and members of the House Development
Committee. My name is Marcey Jeter, and I am the Administrator of the Office of Real Estate and
Planning in the Ohio Department of Administrative Services. I am here to seek your support and
passage of House Bill 379 which will allow for the conveyance of 14 pieces of property.
Through the Office of Real Estate and Planning, DAS handles real estate services and
transactions for many state entities, including the conveyance, sale, or transfer of property. These
services - among others - include property acquisition, property divestiture and transfer, appraisal
review, and professional surveying services.
The Real Estate Services section provides the following services: assistance in identification of
real estate selling method (direct sales, public auction, or donation), appraisal review, contract
negotiation and preparation, legislative review, legal processing, closing and post-closing services.
As a general rule, state agencies do not own the real estate under their jurisdiction; the real
estate is owned by the State of Ohio. Most state agencies, therefore, do not have the authority to
convey real estate. A land conveyance bill introduced in the Ohio General Assembly proposes
uncodified law to authorize a state official to convey state-owned real estate specified in the bill.
The Ohio Revised Code gives the DAS Director the authority to sell some real property through
Controlling Board approval. Such property includes state-owned property appraised at a value of less
than $100,000 and property under the jurisdiction of an institution of higher education appraised at a
value of less than $10 million.
The conveyances contained in House Bill 379 are varied and represent a compilation of
property divestitures and transfers. They include sales that are arms-length real estate transactions
where a grantee has been identified and sales of real estate that will be offered through public auction
methods. They also include accommodating utility infrastructure on state-owned land in perpetuity.
Most of the conveyances included in this bill have been developing for some time. I would like
to acknowledge and comment on a few of the requested conveyances.
Ohio Department of Administrative Services
General Services Division
The legislation includes several properties that will be sold using a public auction method, with the
purchasers of the properties responsible for the costs associated with the sale, including closing and
recordation fees. These include:
• Approximately 1.743 acres of state-owned land adjacent to the Dover Armory and
located at the corner of Schneiders Crossing Road and North Wooster Avenue in
Dover, Tuscarawas County. The property was acquired in 1901 from the
Community Improvement Corporation for $63,000 for the purpose of constructing
an armory. The Adjutant General determined that this portion of the property is
not needed for any purpose and desires to sell the property using a public bid
auction method. The land has an estimated value of over $700,000.
• Approximately 153 acres of state-owned land for the Ohio Rail Development
Commission to the Trumbull County Metroparks District for $1.00. The Metroparks
District has leased the property since 1997 for $1.00 and the Commission seeks to
eliminate any ownership liability responsibilities. The deed will contain a
restriction that if the property is no longer used for recreational purposes, it shall
revert back to the State of Ohio at the sole discretion of the Director of the Ohio
Rail Development Commission.
• Several perpetual easements for sanitary sewer lines for The Ohio State University.
The statute allows DAS to grant easements for institutions of higher education for
a term of 25 years, and the Ohio General Assembly has granted authorization
should the Grantee require a longer term.
• The transfer of an approximate 16,000square-foot building known as the National
Aviation Hall of Fame. The building is situated on land owned by the United States
of America and leased to the State of Ohio. The conveyance will be a direct
transfer of the building to the Secretary of the United States Air Force, who is
willing to accept the building. This will relieve the state of maintenance and repair
responsibilities.
Chairman Hoops, Vice-Chair Lorenz, and members of the House Development Committee, I thank you
for your time and attention. I would be more than happy to answer any questions you may have.
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