Spencer, IA (KICD)– The Spencer City Council voted on Monday to take the first step in a process to obtain a piece of land needed for a street project on the north side of town through the use of eminent domain should it be required.

City Attorney Don Hemphill says the resolution creates more of a path for continued negotiations than a final idea carved in stone.

Should continued negotiations fail with the current landowners, the council will have to vote again before the land north of Schoeneman’s would become city owned.

The council ultimately voted five to one in favor of the resolution with Councilman Brian Balk being the sole no vote. This entire process comes as the city works to fulfill an agreement with an unnamed developer to construct what would be known as West 24th Street to make future access possible.