Will Waukee Council Use Eminent Domain to Buy Land for Alice's Road Project?

Tonight's special meeting of the Waukee City Council has a full agenda, including whether to use eminent domain to acquire land needed for the Alice's Road project, according to the city's website.

Also on the agenda is receiving Councilman Dan Dutcher's letter of resignation, which was effective April 2; discussing how to fill Dutcher's seat on the council; and authorizing increased pay for interm library director Keri Weston-Stoll, who is filling after the firing of Erik Surber.

The Register reported that Weston-Stoll earns around $35,000 per year as the children’s librarian, and the library board recommends a $1,500 per-month pay increase while she acts as library director.

Dutcher cited personal reasons in making the decision to resign, city officials said.

The Alice's Road project requires the city to acquire land-use rights before grading of the road begins between University Avenue and Ashworth Road, the Register reports. City officials say the project will boost commercial and residential growth in Waukee.

In December, the city reached rights-of-way agreements with three groups of landowners affected by the road plan, which is expected to one day be a six-lane street linking Waukee to Interstate 80. However, city officials have yet to reach agreements with two other key property owners, Kurt Brewer and Lolowau LLC, the newspaper said.

The council meeting, which is open to the public, begins at 5:30 p.m. at