Finance committee clears Safe Routes to School takings draft, sends eminent-domain orders to full council

The Finance Committee reviewed revised orders of taking (agenda item 11503) for temporary and/or permanent easements tied to the Safe Routes to School project on Elm Street between Temple Street and Cherry Street and recommended the orders go to the full council for passage.

City legal staff told the committee that clerical and template errors in earlier drafts had been corrected, that title and square-footage designations had been verified with maps, and that one parcel (153 Elm Street) is undergoing a partition action in court; legal staff noted the parcel may be sold and the city could return for an amended order if ownership changes prior to recording. The city solicitor said she will represent the city for all owners except for 153 (or 150/153 as noted) Elm Street while another attorney will assist on the parcel to avoid an appearance-of-conflict issue.

The packet includes two donations: one from a resident, Calvin Brooks, and one from the school department; committee members observed the school parcel had been added to the draft to reflect a prior council vote that accepted the school donation. Legal staff reported roughly 19–20 takings included in the orders and said the award-of-damages account is sufficiently funded to cover recorded amounts; total recorded expenditures were described as just over $3,000.

Legal staff said the temporary takings would be for a period of three to five years and that, after committee approval and registry recording, the project would be transmitted to NASS DOT for next steps. Councilor Mack moved and Councilor Haglund seconded a motion to send item 11503 to the full council for passage; the committee voted aye and the motion passed. Committee members asked that any clerical changes be submitted to the clerk in time for the full-council packet.