From staff reports

Thanks to protests from a landowner and the emergence of an alternative site, City Manager Paul Sparks tonight will recommend the city council change its plans for a new water tower site.

Monday, November 26, 2001

Thanks to protests from a landowner and the emergence of an alternative site, City Manager Paul Sparks tonight will recommend the city council change its plans for a new water tower site.

Instead of a location on what is now private property north of Hammer Road and east of County Road 45, the city will consider switching to an area south of Home Depot and north of Southeast Marshall Street.

The property is owned by John Chadwick, the developer of the Home Depot area, and Chadwick made a price concession to the City of Albert Lea which makes the location more attractive, according to the city council agenda.

At least one of the property owners at the other location was asking for a higher price than the city wanted to pay, and the landowner told the city they might take court action if the city tried to seize the land.

The price for the new site $56,000, is higher than the Hammer Road site, but when the potential for legal complications is considered, the city may find it a better choice, Sparks said.

The line to the water tower would be a 12-inch line and would connect to Southeast Marshall which is also a 12-inch line. This relieves the city of the need to do any additional waterline construction to accommodate the tower’s location.

Other items on tonight’s city council agenda:

n Discussion of the proposed 2002 public works construction program;

n A resolution approving a fee structure for 2002;

n A resolution approving a juvenile justice grant application;

n A resolution authorizing mutual aid.

The meeting starts at 7:30 p.m. tonight at Albert Lea City Hall.