ENM approves purchase of property
The Elko New Market City Council unanimously approved the purchase of property along its Main Street during its Thursday, March 9, meeting. The land, owned by Lyle and Diane Shea, is north of Main Street (Scott County Road 2). The main purpose for the purchase of the land is to preserve the area for a future street right-of-way for a north extension of Webster Street. The area is zoned B-2, Downtown Business District.
The price for the property is $84,000, plus miscellaneous closing and attorney costs. Funds for the purchase are to be taken from the Economic Development Fund, which has sufficient funds to allow for the purchase. The council and Economic Development Authority (EDA) had been made aware the property was for sale. The council, after examining the city’s Downtown Master Plan, had instructed city staff to negotiate the purchase of the property.
The council did have a question about the purchase of the property during the meeting’s public comment period. Jeanne Mahoney, owner of the Old Hotel Market, questioned how quickly the work on the purchase of the property was done, yet improvements of the downtown have been taking longer. Mahoney understood that the sale of the property had come up quickly and did support its purchase. She asked why can’t other things, such as street lights, go as quickly. She noted that street lights are proposed to be replaced in 2020.
City Administrator Tom Terry said the city has a....
To see more on this story pick up the March 16, 2017 print edition of The New Prague Times.
