01-25-2021 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday, January 11, 2021 6:00 o’clock p.m. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Page 5 of 11 “land that is in the way,” it usually conveys as a dollar. He would like to think about standardizing this when they see these chunks that make no sense so when someone else comes before the Council they do not get into the debate of value. Walsh thinks that is a good point, especially if it is just a true “clean up.” Johnson noted the caveat is that the Applicant incurs all of the expenses from generating the new legal description, the exhibit, the City’s legal review, etcetera. If the Applicant is doing all that, what is traditional in his real estate business is that just conveys at a dollar, they are not getting into a value. Walsh said it is like a quick claim issue and he is good with that methodology as well. Crosby said it makes sense. Printup noted there could be more of these in that area, and so that it does not translate into the right-of- ways, the fire lanes, where people all of a sudden hear this and it turns into an assumption. Johnson asked if they could define this in a bucket as to what they are trying to do here. Printup stated word will travel fast, and he does not want it to become an assumption. Barnhart noted the Council will see both sides of that coin going forward because the adjacent property owner is going through the vacation process for the adjacent alleyway. He clarified there is a distinction between platted right-of-way or easements and land. He thinks they can easily make that distinction. Attorney Conklin said an easement vacation or right-of-way vacation is very different and they typically would not be seeking compensation for that. However, for parcels of land like this that the City is just conveying as part of a clean-up process, it would not be an issue in assigning a minimal amount of value to it and asking the applicant to pick up the costs. Johnson asked if they want to keep it at $100. Walsh has no problem with $1.00 as that would be the standard for these types of situations. Johnson said there is no value so the City is conveying the land. Crosby agrees that $1.00 is correct. Barnhart clarified the motion would be to accept the offer with a counter-offer of $1.00. He noted he would continue the formal process to sale, the Attorney will do the work, and the City will hold a public hearing in February and the Council will get it back in March. Johnson moved, Crosby seconded to accept the offer with a counter-offer of $1.00. VOTE: Ayes 5, Nays 0. MAYOR/COUNCIL REPORTS 14. Discuss Interim City Administrator Compensation