Ashland City Officials and an Ashland grain elevator are at odds over ownership of a street. The Journal-Courier and Cass Star-Gazette report that Niagra Street in Ashland has become a point of contention for RCM Co-op Elevators and the Village of Ashland.
RCM Co-op would like to close a portion of the street that runs the elevator’s grounds to build an expansion between Mechanic and Main Street. Mayor Kitty Mau told both newspapers that the maintenance and use of the street has been done by the village for decades.
According to Mau, RCM has conducted a land survey and possesses paperwork that shows the company owns the ground on which the street lies. Mau says that an argument needs to be made by the city since they annually continue the upkeep on the street. Mau says closing the street would create a restriction of travel for residents, but mainly for the village’s fire department to respond to emergency calls on the east side of the village.
Mau told the papers that RCM has agreed to leave one lane open for use by emergency vehicles should they be allowed to proceed with the expansion. RCM told Mau that if their expansion plans are blocked by the village government, they would likely seek relief in the courts.
RCM attended the village board meeting on March 10th to state their claim, but have declined comment to both papers on the issue.