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<br />is an important thing to do, but making $15,000 quarterly payments to ensure that the Mr. and <br />Mrs. Boike won't sell this property to someone else may not be the right thing to do at this time. <br /> <br />Councilmember Jeffrey added that the property may not be marketable for development since <br />there is no access. He questioned how the City would pay for the purchase considering the case <br />coming up on the agenda for the next Special City Council Meeting regards the budget. <br /> <br />City Administrator Norman suggested that the $5,000 quarterly payment could possibly be taken <br />from the Landfill Trust for a couple of years. He stated that Mr. Boike mayor may not find a <br />developer but there may be legal action to start inverse compensation. <br /> <br />Councilmember Pearson stated the City has at the least an exposure situation here. He stated <br />there has to be a public purpose for spending dollars, and paying rent isn't a public purpose. <br />Councilmember Pearson indicated that if the City could buy some time to get to that point, he <br />might be in agreement. He wondered if the appraisal is a worthwhile purchase price at $100,000 <br />an acre and he (Pearson) would contest that the appraisal. <br /> <br />Councilmember Strommen noted her concern that it appeared to her that the only appraisal was <br />almost a year old. <br /> <br />Ms. Ruehle indicated that an offer fell through at $4.5 million dollars, and the appraisal by Dan <br />Clint came in at $4.48 million dollars. <br /> <br />Councilmember Strommen stated the appraisal is too old to be a valid appraisal. She wanted to <br />weigh in beyond the issue of the appraisal that she concurred with Mr. Jeffrey's statement that as <br />a policy matter, it is good to preserve future corridors. Councilmember Strommen indicated the <br />purpose goes far beyond the City of Ramsey. <br /> <br />Councilmember Strommen indicated that the City has been very proactive and very progressive, <br />but she doesn't believe the City can prop up the State of Minnesota on all these corridors. She <br />stated that the City of Ramsey has a population of approximately twenty thousand, whereas the <br />entire metro area has a total population of around two million. Councilmember Strommen stated <br />the letter from the State of Minnesota falls far short of a commitment. She stated that the State is <br />only committing that if the project goes forward, they will only acquire the part that they <br />absolutely need so the City of Ramsey is stuck with purchasing the rest. She explained that in <br />looking at the City budget, she didn't feel the City could afford it. <br /> <br />Mayor Gamec stated that the letter was vague in that it leaves bad comers on the property if the <br />State purchases only the part that they need for the right-of-way. He indicated that other <br />surrounding properties should be taken into consideration as well for development. <br /> <br />Councilmember Strommen acknowledged that the State cannot commit to buying the property <br />now anyway if the project never moves or happens, but it exposes the City with a lot of dollars to <br />a project that has a scope reaching far beyond the needs of the City alone. She stated she is <br />supportive of it to an extent, but the City is extended as it is. <br /> <br />City Council Work Session / December 21, 2006 <br />Page 3 of 6 <br />