RC council approves purchase of three downtown buildings

While Rockwell City officials await the news about the city’s Main Street Iowa application, the city council took steps to convert three downtown buildings from storage into shops.
Mayor Phil Heinlen said he spoke with James Casey, who owns the buildings, and negotiated on the price to purchase the buildings, which are mostly used for storage. Heinlen said he knew of one potential buyer for one of the buildings.
Council members said they would like to see the city buy the buildings, then negotiate a contract with any new that included clauses that spelled out the requirement to repair the buildings and get new businesses up and running.
“If the city goes after (the buildings), (any sale) has to go out for bid,” Calhoun County Economic Development Corp. Executive Director Jill Heisterkamp said.
That can work to the city’s benefit, if the city council includes a clause requiring a business plan, she said. 
Read more in the July 12 edition.