Aikens and Lenoir City Treasurer/Recorder, Jim Wilburn, who owned the old Kingston Pike Laundromat at Kingston Pike and East 5th Ave., sold the property on March 31, 2022 for $500,000.00 to the Patels. Right beside the Laundromat was a vacant lot owned by the city. At the April 11, 2022 city council meeting, Aikens asked the council to let him give the property to the same people who he and Wilburn had just sold the Laundromat to. Of course the council voted unanimously to give the property away.

The vacant lot is a lot of record with an appraised value of $27,200.00, yet the council voted to just give it away? But Aikens told them the reason to give it away was because they, the Patels, had been mowing the lot. So apparently, if you want to get some free land from the city, all you have to do is mow the grass for ten days then the mayor will give it to you.

This wasn't some abandoned alleyway or an old unused easement, this was a city lot they gave away. The county isn't allowed to just give away county property. It would have to be declared surplus, then sold on the open market to the highest bidder. Guess the city don't go by those laws.

Why would the city not sell the lot rather than give it away? Maybe Aikens and Wilburn wouldn't have gotten the whole $500,000.00 for the Laundromat sale unless the buyers knew they were going to get the extra lot in the deal?  Don't know.

Nothing illegal here I guess, but it sure stinks to high heaven.

Time Line:

4/1/2022, Aikens and Wilburn (TJ Rental Property) sell the Laundromat for $500,000.00.
4/11/2022, Deed was drawn up to give away the property.
4/11/2022, Aikens ask the city council to allow him to give the property away.
4/12/2022, The quit claim deed was registered at the courthouse at 12:51 pm.    

That's lightening fast action for government.

Below are a few of the supporting documents.

April 11 City Council Minutes

Aikens, Wilburn Sale Deed

Lenoir City To Patel Quit Claim Deed