Independence council authorizes realtor and sets annexation hearing for former rail strip

Independence city council on July 8 authorized staff to retain a commercial real‑estate broker to support disposition of city‑owned properties and set a public hearing for Aug. 12, 2025, to consider annexing a narrow strip of a former rail right‑of‑way. Council also approved a revised budget resolution correcting a scrivener’s error.

Council voted to hire a realtor after staff recommended bringing in outside expertise to market city properties and to assist with negotiations. City Manager Ben Wells said a broker would help increase exposure for listings and provide transaction know‑how the city does not routinely maintain in house. “On balance it’s worth the cost of a broker’s fee,” Wells told council, noting fees are normally covered through sale proceeds.

The council also voted to set a public hearing for Aug. 12 on Resolution 251636, which would annex a roughly 50‑foot‑wide strip of the old Inman‑Poulsen Timber Company rail line the city acquired in 2005 and 2009. City planner Fred Evander said the proposed annexation covers the narrow corridor from Port‑Vallis Road to the active railroad right‑of‑way and is intended to formalize the city’s control over that parcel before future use decisions are made.

Council additionally approved Revised Resolution 251635, a technical correction to the FY2025–26 budget resolution to fix a carried‑forward number in the resolution’s first paragraph; staff said the underlying totals shown in the budget tables were correct and the change is clerical.

Votes at a glance - Revised Resolution 251635 (budget correction): Moved by Councilor [name filed in minutes], second by Councilor Martin Willis; outcome: approved. - Resolution 251636 (annexation public hearing set for Aug. 12, 2025): Moved by Councilor Morton, second by Councilor Source; outcome: approved. - Authorization to retain a commercial realtor for city property disposition: Moved by Councilor Cor, second by Councilor Martin Willis; outcome: approved.

Why it matters The decisions speed a planned effort to sell or otherwise dispose of surplus city assets that are included in the adopted budget, while the annexation hearing begins the public process for bringing an unincorporated rail corridor into the city’s zoning and utility jurisdiction. Bringing a broker on board is intended to preserve city staff time and help the city achieve a market price on any sale.

What’s next Staff will issue a scaled solicitation to recruit a commercial broker; the city manager will manage selection at the staff level. If offers are received on properties, council expects to consider them in executive session with any final decisions returned to open session for public action and possible public hearing.