Fort Morgan Council OK’s eminent domain as option for runway land
“The ordinance stated that the city was “close to finalizing an agreement” to buy the avigation easement from property co-owners Harold Rasmussen, Judy Carillo and Patricia Binger.
Wells said that the city had signatures on the purchase from two of the property owners, and that the deal for the avigation easement was “just about wrapped up.”
However, negotiations for a deal with property owner John Longacre, from whom the city needs to buy 57.245 acres of land, seemed to have stalled, leading the council to take first action act on an ordinance that would authorize potential use of powers to legally take the property.
Wells said that the Longacres had requested the city provide more information, which the city would do. The problem was that time is running out to get the deal done through negotiations, Wells said.
“They haven’t said ‘no’ to (the city) getting on the property” to do the preconstruction work, but they also hadn’t told the city they would allow the access or given any indications of their time frame, he told the council.”
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Grubbs, Jenni. Fort Morgan Times 5 December 2012.