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the surrounding properties, the neighborhood, Ramsey Town Center and the entire City of Ramsey. <br />While my property is currently vacant (primarily due to the impending highway that is now not so <br />impending; my Tenants all moved out to other locations when it was communicated to them that the <br />freeway was going thru the front door) it is not abandoned. Properties are associated as much by their <br />neighbors as by themselves and the neighborhood that they are in. $500,000.00 was invested in this <br />property in the last five years or so to completely renovate, update, and beautify the premises and <br />now due to the boarded up building next door it is viewed as an undesirable, "bad" location. No one <br />wants to move into a "bad" neighborhood and this has all the earmarks of a bad neighborhood judging <br />by appearances and many times first appearances or "impressions" is a lasting or only impression or <br />opportunity that we get to show the world what we are. <br />I am not satisfied with being in a neighborhood that is boarded up and abandoned, I am also certain <br />that the City is not satisfied with that either, but that IS the message that people see and it IS what <br />they take away with them when that's what their eyes tell their minds! A first impression is a lasting <br />impression and when the first impression is a bad one it hurts the entire vitality of the City. <br />Please consider demolition of the old gas station as we have discussed in the past. I sincerely believe that this <br />would be in the best interests of the community. It helps with the community goal of Highway 10 <br />infrastructure improvement, which obviously is in everybody's best interest. It helps with the problem of the <br />drastic negative impact to the businesses that remain on the Highway 10 corridor and it would help <br />demonstrate that the City is not competing with, but rather helping to protect, the Owners that have yet to be <br />bought out in the area. I am fully aware of the challenges inherent in acquiring ROW for the highway and that <br />you as the stewards of Ramsey have an obligation to the community at large to act in the best interests of all. <br />Within this I, as a severely negatively affected Owner, shoulder a heavier burden in this process by virtue of <br />owning property that is required for the "goad of the community", property that is needed to improve the <br />quality of life for the community at large. I understand this and while I may or may not agree with how it was <br />and is undertaken I have no choice in the matter. So all I can do is do is whatever 1 can do to mitigate the <br />enormous financial burden that this issue has placed on myself and my family by doing whatever I can to lease <br />my property until such time as the City is able to continue with the ROW acquisition and purchase my <br />property. <br />I ask at this time that you refrain from competing for the business on highway 10 and you demolish the <br />abandoned building. Thereby at least mitigating, to some degree, the enormous financial burden that this <br />process has placed upon one family for the good of the community, it simply is not fair and it is not right that <br />such a burdensome obligation should be met by one for the benefit if all. <br />Thank you for your considered discussion of my request and I look forward to a positive response to this <br />situation. <br />Sincerely, <br />Ron, Lori, Matthew & Jonathan Touchette <br />Owners of the property located at 7125, 7127, 71329 Highway 10, Ramsey <br />Ronald J. Touchette, Broker/CEO <br />ROCK SOLID Companies <br />7044 East Fish Lake Road <br />z <br />