01/18/2000 Meeting Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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Council Minutes 1/18/2000 "knocked her socks off." This is her home, her livelihood, her life. She did not respond to the letter because she expected to receive a letter from City Hall directly to her. But that did not happen. She wants to know what is going on as she is not ready to give up her property or her business. When the time comes that she is no longer able to operate her business and must move on, the city is welcome to the property. She is willing to sign a statement saying that the city can purchase the property when she is ready to sell. Mrs. Schooley is hoping and praying that she will be able to stay and continue to operate her business for another ten years. Mayor Musial said the city had no intent on taking Mrs. Schooley's property by eminent domain. It is his intent that the city capture the piece of property across from the soccer field and to land bank it. We are going to try to do that, assuming Council goes along with it, without utilizing the process of eminent domain. In other words, the city is looking to develop that property in the future, not currently. We do not have the money to develop it now. However, he understands that, if the property is not secured somehow and once it is sold to a private developer, we will never get it back. Mrs. Schooley said that is why she would be willing to sign a document saying she would sell to the city in the future. Mayor Musial said he would be in contact with her. Mr. Gareau said this was all news to him. He was not aware the city was proceeding in that fashion-that appraisals were being done for the acquisition of property. This is the first time he has heard of it. He wants to point out that Mrs. Schooley's comments blend very well with the comments of Mrs. Scardina. There is an interest on the part of the administration to acquire land at the cost of several hundred thousand dollars for future development. At the same time, Mrs. Scardina has pointed out that our recreational facilities are falling apart. He is against the idea, and feels the city should concentrate on our current problems. Mayor Musial said he respected the remarks of Mr. Gareau, but we must look at the entire city. We must look at it from a global point of view-we cannot utilize tunnel vision. We must consider all aspects and must consider the overall plan before coming to a final determination. He respectfully requested that final judgment be withheld until the total picture is presented. Mr. O'Grady said he would echo the Mayor's comments, and Mr. Gareau's comments with regard to the needs of the city are well taken. We do have needs, but there is no reason not to explore all avenues and options. If we don't look to the future and explore where we want to be and take some action to move in that direction, we won't get there. He would ask that the Mayor proceed and give the City Council as much information as possible so they can make a wise and informed decision. President Saringer asked Mr. O'Grady, chairperson of the Vision Year 2000 and Beyond Committee, if any of these topics had been discussed in that committee. Mr. O'Grady answered that there have not been discussions with regard to specific acquisition of specific properties. The committee is no where near the stage of making specific plans or deciding specific land acquisitions. The idea of this committee is to look ahead and decide where the city should be 5, 20, 25 years and beyond. After those goals are formulated, then the committee will attempt to develop a structure and put it in place so that over a period of years those goals can be attained. Mr. Limpert commented regarding looking at the potential of future land acquisition and planning that, if in the past those decisions were just a little more aggressive, the city would be so much better today. Mrs. Kasler commented that, as former chairperson of the Recreation Commission, she had on several ,~, occasions held up lists of items that need to be attended to prior to money being spent on 8