Traction continues on Vernal City’s efforts to acquire the Lamplighter block on 120 East Main Street. Vernal City Manager Quinn Bennion shared on the USU and You radio program that within the next 2 months, they will be looking for community involvement and input on what citizens would like to see done on the Lamplighter block. Bennion says they are still in the middle of heavy negotiations while court proceedings have been initiated and the City is optimistic that the area should and will become a public space. In June, Vernal City Council met and unanimously approved filing a complaint to take the Lamplighter property by Eminent Domain. Earlier that month, a public meeting was held in which Vernal City invited public input on the possible acquisition of the Lamplighter Inn property and as a time to answer questions about the background and reasons for the City’s consideration. Chief among the reasons was that the property is in a state of blight and there is soil contamination needing cleaned up that the City is uniquely positioned to handle through federal grants that are not available to average property owners. A 4-year effort to negotiate a fair market price with the owner has been unsuccessful resulting in the pursuit of Eminent Domain as a last resort option. Bennion shared on USU and You that this is a great opportunity for the community and is expected to be another positive addition to renovating downtown Vernal.
