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<br /> a condemnation proceeding started against it by the City of Ramsey. The City of Rain~y
<br /> intends to condemn that private BMA property for development. This also is the~'.,~r°pei:tyi~
<br /> Governor Ventura and the Metropolitan Council has slated as one of the six "smart ';~Growth
<br /> Areas" in the metro area. The City is in line to receive a very large grant from th~:Oi~rnrnent to
<br /> have a company out of Berkley California design a town center in that loca~i~fi~~ 'Tti~Kurak
<br /> family does not now, nor ever will have, interest in that parcel of land. Th~:ia~, howe'~er~i'own
<br /> the next piece of undeveloped property to the west, the Highway #1~'~}~roperty menti0"ii~d,.
<br /> previously. There is another subject that continues to come up in ~a,n...yersaii~5~i,.~at Ms. Ku;~%,
<br /> felt needed to be clarified. Residents may have heard that there is a tawSUit waftihg to go to trial
<br /> .... ·. ~: :~' ,~ ~: . .
<br /> between the Kuraks and the C~ty of Ramsey. Th~s lawsmt
<br /> City of Ramsey has brought against the Kuraks. When Count~: Road #I
<br /> was a need to obtain property from the Kuraks
<br /> negotiations with the City, the City of Ramsey did not~.agr~ with the K~r,k, k5 on the value of their
<br /> property. The City was only willing to offer $200:(J0 te~s'hn acre f0Fi,~eif.:Property than they
<br /> paid for it 18 years earlier. This, of course, would nc~t work; s~'ithe..,Ci¢ pro&eded with what is
<br /> referred to as a quick take. Mr. William Goodrich, the City AttO,~gy, went before a judge and
<br /> garnered the rights to the Kurak property. The County Road #116:e~tension was completed in
<br /> 1998 and is i,n full use today. That lawsuit has not settled yet, Tha¢:ig ~hat is ¢~ing referred to
<br /> as the rurak s lawsuit against the Ci~.,' ·She clarified that this is th~'~:C~,',i~$ Ramsey versus
<br /> Kurak, etal. They are not suing th~Cit3;::-~The'City is suing them. Ms'~'~*~t/i:ak stated that she
<br /> understands that as a Councilmembef ~6f Rams~/:'she C~rmot and will i/ot:'vote on any business
<br /> pertaining to land she owns in Ramsey)~This rule is the'§ame for any'/)ne sitting in the capacity as
<br /> a governmental official. In as much as ~v~,ryone 9n'7~:' city"~nei'i owns property in the City
<br /> of Ramsey, and she may not be the only P~f-sbn si{-t/~g on the. t(~,~flcil that might, at some time in
<br /> the future, find themselves_ having a confli'~i6f i~iterest in th~'~ area. Ms. Kurak stated that she
<br /> hoped that thes~?'st~temefits clear up any ;~idestio~s that residents may have regarding her
<br /> ownership of P~70-1~erty in Rai~nsey. She belie~,~-,fro~,the bottom of her heart that the residents
<br /> will judge"'ke?'~haracter, h&~r, morality and:e'~,/not by what she owns, but rather by the
<br /> manneri~ ;which she condu~herself. She stat~',ithat she is available for any resident to call her
<br /> with an~'~i~fions they:.m'aY'have? _ .....
<br />
<br /> Terry Hendrikse~'~} ~36i Ramsey Boul~,//-~d, Ramsey, stated that the Council has been presented
<br /> -",~ith apetition whidh 1re thinks it out of frustration by citizens. He stated that he received, with
<br /> -~'~ C0m~¢ilpacket, n~;;vSletter fi'~>m the League of Minnesota Cities which talked about Mayors
<br /> addressing'affordable ho'us'ingT~nd how cities are ready to take the lead on addressing the
<br /> challenge. Inte~.estingly enough one of the items they are proposing to do in order to accomplish
<br /> that goal is to make it easier for cities to rezone land and eliminate the majority vote requirement
<br /> to rezone property He stated that he does not think citizens of Ramsey are overwhelmed with
<br /> bringing affordable housing to Ramsey and presumptuous to change law especially the four fifth
<br /> majority to m~ that happen. Back on December 12th and December 19t~, something the citizens
<br />~:',~are asking: '.{'~F failed because it did not receive the four fifths majority. Two Councihnembers
<br /> refused to-give the residents what they have been asking for and yet they are willing to have the
<br /> law2 ah-anger to give the residents of Ramsey what they don't want. Mr. Hendriksen addressed
<br /> Councilmember Kurak personally stating that he did not feel that she had been candid in her
<br />
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<br />
<br />City Council/January 23, 2001
<br /> Page 6 of 30
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