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Gadsden Times

Revenue from operating the transfer station then could be used to close the landfill properly.
But Simms and Turnbach said it is the commission’s legal position that the county is not responsible for closing the landfill.
Simms said Noble has told the commission he is interested in reopening the landfill.
Miles said his client is in negotiation with the commission concerning the property and has asked the commission not to begin condemnation proceedings.
He said they are trying to reach an agreement with the commission to have the landfill reopened but would not confirm Noble wants to reopen it.                   

Community leaders do not understand the value of landfills, even more so when the facilities have been closed.  The County Commission is about to be rudely awakened!  It would serve the community best to have an individual who understands the landfill licensing procedure.

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 Marion Star

All of the Northwest Industrial Connector except an overpass will be done by approximately fall of 2010, Marion County Engineer Brad Irons estimated.

The $17 million project, which once completed will link Ohio 95 West to Marion-Williamsport Road with a 2.65-mile road, likely will break ground this fall, Irons said. Local officials sought construction of the road to expedite shipping for Whirlpool Corp., the county's largest employer, alleviate heavy truck traffic downtown and open up land along the route to industrial development.

Federal stimulus money totaling $5.1 million awarded for the 4 1/2-year-old project includes a deadline requiring the money to be spent by March 2010, but Irons said the county is ahead of schedule.

"I'm not worried about that date because we're so far ahead," he said, adding that the Marion County Board of Commissioners' adoption of a resolution May 12 moves the project ahead the next step toward acquiring the land needed for the road.

He estimated the entire project including the overpass might be done in fall of 2011.

The resolution moves to appropriate property for the Northwest Connector for real estate owned or used by Ohio American Water Co., Richard A. and Constance L. Sheaffer, R.A. Shaeffer Inc., William and Sandra Bates, Carl and Karen Hamm and Harriman Family Partnership. The county has made offers to those property owners, but been unable to negotiate a purchase price. If unable to reach purchase agreements through negotiation with individual land owners, the county will file an eminent domain action in Marion County Common Pleas Court and proceed with the project as the court sets a purchase price, County Prosecutor Brent Yager said.

Yager said the county will send the land owners a "good faith offer" based on appraisals the county had done by M.E. Companies of Columbus. The land owners will have 30 days to accept or counter the offer.

The agency takes a cavalier attitude about; the ability to utilize eminent domain to acquire and the values of the properties involved. The arrogance in the condemnor could hurt both the owners and the government.

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MLive

The Ottawa County Road Commission said it needs the property where a popular dry cleaner has been in business for nearly two decades for a project to widen a portion of River Avenue to seven lanes just north of the bridge separating the township from Holland.

However, Sheldon Cleaners' property owner isn't willing to part with the land at the southwest corner of River and Douglas Avenue without a fight.

The Road Commission has filed suit in Ottawa County Circuit Court to acquire the property at 118 Douglas Ave, offering $430,000 price for the 0.16-acre site. Kentwood-based P&L Co., which owns the property and leases it to Sheldon Cleaners, has sued the Road Commission, claiming the commission reneged on an agreement that Sheldon Cleaners could relocate onto an adjacent parcel.

The property was owned by the Road Commission, but was sold last year to the Geenen DeKock Group, LLC, for $214,850, county records show.

"Money is not the issue here," said Louie Cares, co-owner for both Sheldon Cleaners and P&L. "We want what (the Road Commission) promised us."

The Holland Township site is one of Sheldon Cleaners' top three locations among its 30 stores in West Michigan, Cares said.

"It's an antiquated intersection, and the time is now to start modernizing it and improving it," said Jim Bidol, an attorney representing the Road Commission in the eminent-domain case.

The $1.35 million project, which would widen River from five to seven lanes from Howard Avenue to the CSX railroad tracks just north of Douglas, is planned for late summer construction, according to the Road Commission.

Deals and promises with the governmental authority should be carefully drafted and authorized by the appropriate governmental authority.

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