TRANSMITTAL LETTER FOR BOARD MEETING OF JUNE 5, 2025
COMMITTEE ON REAL ESTATE
Mr. John P. Murray, Acting Executive Director
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Authority to purchase the real estate commonly known as 15337 Myrtle Avenue in Harvey, Illinois for the construction of the Central Park Stormwater Detention Basin and Separate Storm Sewer Improvements in Harvey, Illinois (Contract 18-249-AF) and authority for payment to the owner, Michael Williams, in an amount of $58,000.00, plus closing costs. Account 501-50000-667330, Stormwater Management Fund
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Dear Sir:
On February 2, 2023, the Board of Commissioners (“Board”) authorized the District to negotiate and enter into an Intergovernmental Agreement (“IGA”) with the City of Harvey (“City”) for the Central Park Stormwater Detention Basin and Separate Storm Sewer Improvements in Harvey (Contract 18-249-AF) (“Project”). Under the IGA, the District will complete the property acquisition, design, and construction, while the City will be responsible for long-term ownership and maintenance of the properties and improvements.
On April 20, 2023, the Board of Commissioners adopted Ordinance No. R23-001 (“Ordinance”) establishing the right-of-way for the construction, operation, and maintenance of the Project. The Project includes the creation of an approximately 23-acre-foot stormwater detention basin along Myrtle Avenue, between 153rd Street and 154th Street, to provide flood storage, as well as the installation of approximately 9,650 feet of storm sewer to convey stormwater to the proposed basin and allow discharge into the Wood Street storm sewer system. The proposed improvements will provide flood reduction benefits to approximately 209 structures.
Said Ordinance authorized and directed the Acting Executive Director to negotiate with the respective owners to acquire fee simple title or such lesser interests, as appropriate, in and to the real estate described in the Ordinance.
The Project requires the acquisition of 31 parcels, which include a combination of residential and vacant properties. Two of those vacant properties are owned by Michael Williams, located at 15337 Myrtle Avenue in Harvey, Illinois (MWRD Parcels 30 and 31). The parcels include 8,596± square feet of land and a single-family home with 1,400± square feet of gross building area. The home is vacant and boarded up. The District and the owner have reached a negotiated settlement for the purchase of the property in the amount of $58,000.00. It is the opinion of the General Counsel and Special Counsel, Neal & Leroy, LLC, that this amount is within the range of value for the property based on a fair market value appraisal obtained by the District.
The District’s relocation consultant, Polk & Associates, LLC, determined that under the federal Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act (“URA”), there are no reimbursable relocation costs for this transaction because no one has resided in the vacant home for many years.
Accordingly, it is requested that the Acting Executive Director recommend to the Board of Commissioners that it adopt the following orders:
1. That the subject property be purchased by the District for the amount of $58,000.00, plus closing costs;
2. That the Chairman of the Committee on Finance and the Clerk be authorized and directed to execute the contract for said purchase, after it is approved by the General Counsel as to form and legality;
3. That the General Counsel be authorized and directed to execute and deliver all other documents and take such other actions as may be necessary to effectuate said purchase and to attain possession of said property;
Requested, Susan T. Morakalis, General Counsel and Catherine A. O’Connor, Director of Engineering; STM:CAO:BJD:MSZ:vp
Recommended, John P. Murray, Acting Executive Director
Disposition of this agenda item will be documented in the official Regular Board Meeting Minutes of the Board of Commissioners for June 5, 2025
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