Three property owners on the outskirts of Albert Lea want too much money for their property, said City Manager Paul Sparks, and the city is willing to condemn the properties in order to move ahead with plans for a new water tower.

Tuesday, August 14, 2001

Three property owners on the outskirts of Albert Lea want too much money for their property, said City Manager Paul Sparks, and the city is willing to condemn the properties in order to move ahead with plans for a new water tower.

The council voted unanimously to begin the process of condemnation for three tracts of land in northeast Albert Lea where the city plans to build a new million-gallon water tower. Construction can’t begin, however, until the city has acquired the land for the water tower site and access road.

Based on appraisals conducted last month by the Robinson Appraisal Company of Mankato, the three parcels together are worth about $38,000. Sparks said negotiations with the landowners are stalled because their asking price is too high.

&uot;One property owner felt the property was worth ten-fold what we think is reasonable,&uot; he told the council. &uot;The appraisals confirm what we think are fair prices.&uot;

City Attorney Steve Schwab said a judge will make the ultimate decision. The landowners may conduct their own appraisals or even hire an attorney to convince a judge that their property is worth more than the city is offering.

&uot;The process can go on in front of a judge for awhile, but we’ll get the property eventually,&uot; Schwab said.

&uot;It’s for a public purpose, and we’re talking about a relatively small area and small sum of money.&uot;

Schwab said at least one landowner fears the water tower would reduce the value of the property.

Engineers feel the site, just west of I-35, is ideal for a new tower because it&uot;s on high ground near a 12-inch water main. The tower would accommodate new residential and commercial development in the area, said Mayor Bob Haukoos.

In other council news:

— The council approved plans for a new roof on the city garage with a price tag of $193,000. Sparks said the roof has been plagued by leaks in recent years. The problem has been serious enough to require a total replacement.

&uot;We’re not talking about the shingles but the basically the whole structure,&uot; he told the council. Sparks said some patch work was done last summer as a short-term fix, but the problem has worsened since the heavy rains of the spring.

&uot;This is a project we need to do as soon as possible. If we don’t, we run the risk of structural failure,&uot; he said.

The $193,000 bid, which was awarded to Larson Contracting, was well below the city engineer’s original estimate of $250,000.

— The council approved a five-year $25,000 contract with Westrum Leak Detection of Stratford, Iowa for a leak-detection survey of the city’s water system. Sparks said the company has the necessary equipment to locate underground water leaks.

&uot;It’s equipment that we can’t really afford to have on hand,&uot; Sparks said. &uot;Contracting for the service is much less expensive.&uot;

City Engineer Dave Olson said the city has been contracting for the service since 1993. In that time, the company has located about 15 leaks a year.

— The council authorized the resurfacing of several streets in the Shorewood Hills Second Subdivision, including Greenwood Drive and Lakewood Avenue. Sparks said the streets are exhibiting signs of subgrade failure far earlier than normal.

The $256,000 project includes plans for an overlay with subsurface drain tile, Sparks said. But the cost of the project can’t be assessed to property owners because the deterioration is occurring before the guarantee on the road is expired.

The last overlay in the area was in 1993, Sparks said. Olson said crews have enough time to complete the project this season.

— The council decided to remain on a quarterly billing cycle for city utilities after Sparks presented the costs of converting to monthly bills.

Monthly bills would be easier to read and easier for residents to budget, Sparks said. But the added workload forces most cities to hire outside companies to prepare and mail the bills. Outsourcing the billing process could cost the city an additional $46,000 or more per year, he said.

Councilor Mary Kron said she has never heard a single complaint from constituents about the quarterly utility bills.

&uot;I’ve been on the council 12 years, and I’ve never heard a thing about it,&uot; she said.

— The council approved a measure allowing bow hunting on city property around the airport. Sparks said the area is overpopulated with deer that pose a danger to aircraft on runways.