Background:
Council and Public Works has identified the intersection of North Main / Wimer / Hersey Streets as the most problematic intersection within the City. This intersection has the highest crash rate and the ultimate reconfiguration of the intersection has been placed on the Capital Improvement Plan for the 2007-08 budget year.
The intersection is problematic in that Wimer Street and Hersey Street do not align through their centerlines and in fact are staggered by more than 20 feet. The stagger is of a magnitude that completely blocks opposing traffic left turn movements. When a north bound vehicle is in position to turn onto Wimer Street at the same time that a southbound vehicle is waiting to turn onto Hersey Street neither vehicle can move as each blocks the opposing vehicle's path. The resulting confusion and maneuvering of the vehicles around the stalled vehicles results in numerous crashes on a yearly basis.
The resolution to this problem would be to align the centerlines of Wimer Street and Hersey Street by shifting Hersey Street west approximately 20 feet and Wimer Street east approximately 15 feet. The street shift for Wimer Street will require only minimal right-of-way acquisition and will only affect the landscaping of the corner lot.
The needed right-of-way acquisition along Hersey Street is much more extensive and affects two commercial lots including the Colwell Chiropractic Clinic at 410 N. Main Street and the Hersey Office Condominiums at 400 W. Hersey Street. It will be necessary to acquire at least 1,000 square feet of land from each lot which impacts the amount of off-street parking available to each lot. The proposed acquisition would eliminate four of the thirteen parking spaces available to the Hersey Office Condominiums an three or possibly four of the twelve available spaces on the Colwell lot.
To help mitigate the potential loss of parking on these two lots, it has been suggested that the vacant lot to the east of the Colwell Clinic be purchased and used, in part, for the construction of a parking lot.
Former Mayor Alan DeBoer actually initiated discussions with Brad Roupp, the owner of the lot several months ago. As negotiations for the lot continued it was mutually agreed that an appraisal should be obtained. Paula Brown contracted with Kathleen Mackris of Mackris Appraisal Services to conduct an appraisal of the vacant lot. The appraisal was completed on November 23, 2004 and showed a market value of $240,000.00. A copy of the report is attached.
Mr. Roupp has received an offer for the vacant property of $280,000.00, however since his negotiations with the City have been long standing, he has agreed to accept $270,000 for the property.
The property is ideally situated to provide additional parking for both the chiropractic clinic and the office condominium. There is ample room to construct a 14 or 16 space parking lot and still have enough room remaining on the lot to resell as a building lot. If the City should wish to re-sell the un-used or un-needed portion of the lot, Mr. Roupp has asked, as a condition of sale, that a 5-year moratorium be placed upon the lot prohibiting its use as an overnight accommodation.
Funding for the purchase is proposed as an internal loan from either the water or wastewater enterprise accounts into capital account 41. | 
