Sale of Reasoner Dam on again, maybe

By APRIL KELLEY
After a full year of back and forth, there is a strong possibility that the sale of the Reasoner Dam is once again a possibility.

According to Conservation Director Todd Lee at the Wednesday, Nov. 20 Conservation Board meeting, the City of Humboldt is looking into the possible sale or lease of land to the River Development Group (RDG) to allow RDG to obtain insurance on the dam if they buy it.

The Conservation Board has been in negotiations for more than a year with RDG to buy the dam. The largest issue RDG has faced in the purchase of the dam is obtaining insurance, a requirement of the sale.

The RDG members discovered during their research into insuring the dam that the only way any insurance company would cover them is if they owned property next to the dam. In that way, the insurance company would insure the land and as a part of the land, the dam as a structure on the land.

Lee reported to the Board members that the matter is now in the hands of the City of Humboldt and the Humboldt City Council.

“It sounds like the city is very interested or is really doing their due diligence to find a good match as far as a parcel,” Lee said.

Lee said that after speaking with Humboldt Mayor Dan Scholl, it sounded like the Humboldt City Council may be looking at taking action on the item at one of their meetings in December.

“I think things are moving in a positive direction. I think at this point we just wait and see what happens,” Lee said.

Read the full story in this week's issue of the Humboldt Independent,