EVT Staff Writer Jim Walsh Reveals A Tantalizing Missing Detail in City's of Mesa Seizure of Land by Order of Immediate Possession For Police-Fire Complex

Hmmm...certainly now looks like another one of those sweet qwacky "back-handed" deals that City Hall and its real estate acquisition cohorts try to hide behind convenient cover stories and games of charade all the time.
The missing clue: the heretofore un-named private landowner
attorney Paul Wetzel has conveyed the land
"as a gift to a non-profit, non-denominational Christian organization for another purpose."
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Fight brewing over NE Mesa police-fire site

By Jim Walsh, Tribune Staff Writer Sep 22, 2019

"Mesa considers eight acres at Power and Brown roads the best site for a long-awaited police and fire facility targeted at reducing unacceptably long response times in northeast Mesa.

After negotiations to buy the property went nowhere and the landowner spurned a $2.1 million offer, the Mesa City Council is scheduled to decide Monday whether to initiate eminent domain proceedings, if necessary, as “a matter of public necessity.’’

But attorney Paul Wetzel of Cornville was not happy to learn from the Tribune that his property had been selected and questioned why the city could not choose a smaller, cheaper site instead.

“I don’t like to make a lot of waves,’’ Wetzel said, adding that he tries to get along with everyone. . .

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21 September 2019

Seizure By Eminent Domain: City of Mesa Seeks Order of Immediate Possession On Privately-Owned Property

< Here's the most recent intended target:
certain undeveloped property located in the 1300 block of North Power Road (APN: 218-04-013B) of approximately 8.38 acres.
The justification: the construction of the Northeast Public Safety Facility
The city's real estate acquisition staff and the un-identified property owner have not yet reached an agreement for the purchase price of this parcel after almost more than a year.
Property values have sky-rocketed in that area.

The same real estate market forces that reaped a windfall-profit from the sales of city-owned lands in northeast Mesa in District 5 are now blowing back when the city is more eager, ready, and willing - or desperate as the case may be - to consummate a sale-deal at the same time when the parcel owner(s) is/are unwilling at the price offered.
The city is seeking an
Immediate Order of Possession
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Wetzel declined to name the non-profit, but he said he is a member of its board of directors.

". . . Although he received an offer from the city for the property in December,

 

 

“I thought they had forgotten about it,’’ Wetzel said.

Wetzel said the city needs only two acres for such a police and fire facility, not more than eight acres.

“That’s why it doesn’t make sense to me,’’ he said.

But Kim Fallbeck, Mesa’s real estate administrator, disagrees, at least according to her explanation during a Sept. 12 city council study session

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Other characters emerging in Walsh's thrilling writing

> Mesa Mayor John Giles and Councilman Dave Luna, who represents northeast Mesa, both said they are sold on Wetzel’s property as the perfect location for the northeast Mesa facility.

“Please do proceed with this location. It seems obvious this is the right thing to do,’’ Giles said.

 “Let’s go through this process and pay them what’s fair and get this built as soon as possible.’’ . .

> City attorney Jim Smith said that many condemnation proceedings end in mediation, with a mediator helping to set a reasonable price to avoid disputes that end up in lawsuits.

> City Manager Chris Brady said the city is working on a new fire station near the Eastmark master-planned community and the Northeast Police and Fire Facility is probably about three years away from completion.