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Swisher Economic Alliance pushes $200/month lease for downtown lot; council approves attorney edits, asks for cost estimates
Summary
Representatives of the Swisher Economic Alliance told the City Council they can lease the former lumber/rail lot from the railroad for $200 a month to create about 40–50 downtown parking spaces. Council approved attorney revisions to the draft lease and asked the city engineer to return with cost estimates and site work options.
Representatives of the Swisher Economic Alliance urged the Swisher City Council on Oct. 14 to pursue a low-cost lease of a downtown rail‑adjacent lot to add roughly 40–50 parking spaces.
"They are willing to lease the old lumber yard for $200 a month," the Swisher Economic Alliance representative said, adding the Alliance views the site as a potential downtown parking resource for businesses and residents. Sonia, who spoke with the representative, described parking pinch points downtown — especially on Wednesday nights — and said local businesses would benefit from overflow parking.
The council and staff pressed for details about site preparation, maintenance and safety. The city engineer said an on‑site inspection and grading analysis are needed to estimate costs for surface improvement options — from gravel to recycled asphalt or chip seal — and flagged concerns about drainage, lighting and access points. Council members asked whether First Street would need improvement to extend access and whether light poles and existing utility lines would affect layout.
Insurance requirements drew particular attention. The draft lease initially required $5 million in liability coverage; the city insurance agent said a $3 million limit would be adequate for a parking use. The city attorney revised the lease to reflect a lower requirement, and the council voted to accept the attorney’s changes so staff could forward the revised lease to the railroad.
Council members also discussed maintaining the lot (snow removal, striping) and the risk of investing in improvements under a five‑year lease. One council member suggested pursuing a lease extension option after five years so the city could justify larger capital outlays.
The council did not approve any immediate capital work. Instead it directed the engineer to prepare a cost estimate and recommended surface options for the November meeting, and asked staff to send the attorney’s revised lease to the railroad for review. The Alliance representatives said they had tried to negotiate the lease down from an earlier $1,000–$2,000 figure and believed $200 a month was the railroad’s lowest offer.
