WALHALLA — After having its $2.84 million offer for the former Tri-County landfill property rejected, Youngblood Development wants its $90,000 deposit back.

The Appalachian Council of Governments (ACOG), acting as an independent third party for Youngblood and Oconee County, has informed the county that the Easley-based development company wants its earnest deposit money released.

The property transaction in question dates back to a plan devised more than a decade ago. In 1995, Isaqueena Corporation sold more than 500 acres in Pickens County to Pickens, Anderson and Oconee counties so they could establish a resource recovery plant and research site with a landfill. Clemson University had been pegged to contribute the research component of the project.

But when Anderson County decided to develop a separate landfill, the plan dissolved. Pickens County purchased 20 acres of the land to develop a sewer plant, but the near totality of the property sat unused for years until the three counties asked ACOG to conduct bidding to sell the land in 2007. The money would then be split evenly between the counties.

A large deposit was required for bidders, and ultimately Youngblood Development submitted the highest offer of well over $2 million.

“There was a public bid process, ACOG received the bids, and Youngblood was the successful bidder,” Oconee County Administrator Dale Surrett said. “Oconee and Pickens counties approved it, but Anderson’s council voted to reject it. They felt the price was too low, and that it should be bid on again, and that’s where this situation has stayed for the last 18 months or so,” Surrett explained.

The money, managed by ACOG, has been sitting for more than a year, drawing interest. Now Youngblood wants its money back, an idea the council sees as fair but not unconditional.

“We’ve decided, 'Yes, you can have your money back if you want it,'” Surrett said. “'But if you want your money back, your rights of first consideration as the successful bidder goes away if we consider something like this again.' We’re also suggesting to them that there is a new County Council coming in, and a new county administrator at Anderson. Why not wait until February and see how things work out then?”

The issue was discussed briefly during Tuesday’s Oconee County Council meeting. Councilman Frank Ables suggested the county attempt to "go back and renegotiate with Anderson."

All three counties party to the agreement were sent letters by ACOG informing them of Youngblood’s wishes. New Anderson County Administrator Michael Cunningham said they were told that, should no response be given, it would be taken as approval to release the funds back to the developers.

“I don’t think it will be going before council because they’d already taken their position on the property, that they wanted it to be bid on again,” Cunningham said. “I sent a letter to ACOG that we didn’t want to stand in the way of them releasing the money back to the company.”

And what of the possibility of rehashing the issue all over again? Cunningham said reconsideration of the matter is not out of the realm of possibility.

“Honestly, I don’t know but certainly if Oconee County came to us, our council would consider what they have to say,” he said. “That is something that has to happen council to council.”