OTTAWA — County commissioners refused a request Wednesday by a couple for the county to pay to open a road near Lane. Bob and Margaret Hadsall seek to have the county pay to open a quarter-mile of Clark Road to their land-locked property. They have a hand-shake agreement with another property owner that gives them access to the land but Bob Hadsall said they need a road because they want to sell their land. Many years ago, the county had a road but closed it. However, county adminstrator Lisa Johnson disagreed, saying the county has no record that there was ever a road. Nor is there any record that Pottawatomie Township had a road there. Merely because the township mistakenly maintained the access doesn’t make it a public road. She said the Hadsalls will have to pay the county to open the road or go to district court to gain an easement from the other property owner, which she said is a cheaper alternative. Commissioners voted 4-1 to open the road if the Hadsalls agree to pay for it. However, Hadsall said during the meeting he won’t pay for it.
Tuesday, Nov. 23, 3 p.m.
