>From KMCD E-News Vedic City Seeks To Buy Neighboring Farmland
Two opposing parties went head-to-head during public comment at the Jefferson County Board of Supervisors meeting Monday. Bob Palms came forward to inform the supervisors of a situation he has been put in regarding his farmland north of Fairfield. Palms said he's had a threat to condemn his family farm by officials in Vedic City. Palms received a letter recently with an appraisal from Vedic City and an offer for the land, which butts up to city on the east and south sides. However, Palms said it was less than half the value of the land. Kent Boyum was present on behalf of Vedic City for the Cypress Village preliminary plot discussion, however; he was able to comment on behalf of the city about the matter. "Ever since I've worked for the city, and even before the city existed we've been interested in the Palms' land," Boyum said. "We learned that he'd talked with others about selling the property, and so we talked to him and had an appraisal done. We met with the Palms' and they didn't like the price." Boyum went on to say that Vedic City can condemn the land, and they've gotten advice from the city's attorney to condemn it for the purpose of making a city park. Boyum said they need to start with the appraised value of the land, and the city has done it, and now the Palms can as well. "It seems like an aggressive measure to me as a supervisor for the city to go and take someone's land for use as a city park," Supervisor Dick Reed said. Vedic City currently owns only eight acres within the city, while the non-profit group, Global Country, owns the majority of the land. "This needs to be well thought out with a purpose and a plan," Supervisor Steve Burgmeier said. "I believe the underlying reason for this is not to build a park, but probably because you've heard he was looking at putting a business on his land and that's not part of the ideal of the community. Eminent domain for this purpose is an abuse of power. And I hope when this is all said and done we can all remain civil." The city plans to hold a public hearing on the topic on Sunday, June 24 at noon. "Having a public hearing at noon on a Sunday, is not a typical day to do government business," Burgmeier added. "Most people are just getting home from church then, and want to eat dinner. If you want the people at-large to come for public comment, you'll need to change the time." "I don't believe a city or a county should take these steps to take someone's land," Reed said. "It's his business to sell the land, and at what price he sells it. It's not right to use eminent domain to obtain it. I'd like to see you go through other means before taking these measures, and making people use what may be their life savings to go to court and pay lawyer fees."
