Ronan City Council makes offer on lots, mulls water compact resolution
Megan Strickland
Ronan City Council voted to make an offer on lots adjacent to Bockman Park.
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RONAN – Ronan City Council unanimously voted to make a $40,000 offer on three lots adjacent to Bockman Park on March 17.
“The lots are directly behind the liquor store and they go down against the memorial, and the corner of one is actually in the middle of the creek,” Public Works Director Dan Miller said. “We’ve talked about getting an appraisal for it, but there’s really nothing to compare it to. It’s a unique property. It’s really worth nothing as a building lot because so much of it is in the creek bottom. The only value it has is as an addition to our park.”
Miller said the owners wanted $50,000, but Mayor Kim Aipperspach was skeptical about that price being fair.
“In all reality, a really good building lot in Ronan is worth $30,000 so is $50,000 high?” Aipperspach said.
Miller said lots in Ronan sell for around $25,000 and that amount is only increasing.
“How long is it going to sit there?” Miller asked. “They could literally just hang onto it and we’ll keep doing what we’re doing. It will be one big wet spot and they own it, but we mow it.”
Miller said a realtor willing to process the sale pro bono thought the price was reasonable.
But Aipperspach and Romero thought the council should offer $40,000, which is ultimately what the group approved.
Parkgoers likely won’t see much of a difference once the lots are purchased.
“Most everybody thinks it already is the park,” Aipperspach said.
In other business the council appointed a subcommittee to weigh whether or not the council should submit a letter of support for the proposed Confederated Salish and Kootenai Water Compact, which is pending before the Montana Legislature.
