Getting Ramsey ready for extension, connection

A roadway project that will extend Ramsey Road and connect it from Wyoming to Lancaster avenues is crawling along.

The Hayden City Council approved the purchase Tuesday of land from the Coeur d’Alene Airport, which is owned by Kootenai County and situated in Hayden.

The purchase, totaling $431,508, will include two parcels currently owned by the airport and two permanent easements.

A federal aid grant will reimburse up to 92.66% of the purchase as part of the roadway project. Impact fees will cover the remaining cost of the purchase.

Council member Sandy White voted no to the acquisition of the parcels because of possible eminent domain issues in the future.

“We are lining up the legal process in case any of the landowners are unwilling to sell,” said Fonda Jovick, city attorney.

However, if property owners opt not to sell, there is no plan to enforce eminent domain, which is the right of a government agency to expropriate private property for public use.

Epic Land Solutions, a private consultant specializing in right-of-way transactions, was hired by the city to appraise the properties and provides bids to the property owners. The company is working to help the city obtain the remaining properties.

“I believe this is a good settlement for both the city of Hayden and the property owner,” said Elizabeth Johnson, assistant project manager for Epic Land Solutions, Inc. She continued in a memo recommending the purchase, “a final settlement … is well supported and considered prudent use of public funds.”

Including this purchase, the city owns about half of 21 parcels needed for the Ramsey Road Extension project to continue.

In early negotiations, the airport rejected a deal that excluded administrative costs. Those costs of $10,552 will be paid to the airport by the city as a negotiation concession.

Renegotiations also hold the city responsible for maintenance of a permanent easement, instead of a temporary easement to the county.

The Hayden City Council also unanimously approved a remodel that would bring the city hall into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The construction project was awarded to the lowest bidder, National Native American Construction Inc, and will add an elevator to the side of the building.

“This isn’t a beautification, or let’s get some frills and goodies at City Hall,” said Ed DePriest, city council member. ”This is a bare-bones remodel to just get the elevator and bring us up to compliance.”

The lowest bid of $713,000 was $213,000 over budget. The added cost will be covered by city savings. The difference will be taken out of one-time money either this or next fiscal year, from a reserve account.

“It’s one of these projects that did come in higher than expected,” said Brett Boyer, city administrator.

Through budget increases from sales tax increases the city has the money that will be directed toward the project.

“We’ve just been, to be blunt, damn lucky, because our employees, city staff, have accommodated anyone who couldn’t get upstairs," said Roger Saterfiel, city council member. “But that has become more and more difficult and it’s simply not adequate … And if we are sued the cost is going to be far more than the cost of the construction will be.”

The remodel project is the final hurdle to bring the city hall up to ADA standards.