Staff Report

WARSAW — Kosciusko County, seeking to construct a parking garage with the city of Warsaw, will move forward with eminent domain after the owner of a downtown property balked at the idea of accepting a purchase price that would have been based on the average of two appraisals.

The land includes the Ameriprize Financial, which is east of a county parking lot and west of South Buffalo Street.

Eminent domain the the power of a government or an authorized entity to take private property for public use, even if the owner does not wish to sell.

County attorney Ed Ormsby introduced the subject at Tuesday’s meeting of the county commissioners.

The commissioners had minimal discussion on the issue. The decision was unanimous.

You can see the entire county commissioner’s meeting here. The discussion about the parking garage starts at the 4:23 mark.