The owners of the Voyageur Motel, located on 333 E. Superior St., are feeling neglected -- if not abused -- by the mayor and his administration. Conversely, the mayor and his staff are feeling misunderstood and wrongly accused of a lack of compassion by Rick and Pamela Pietrusa, the owners of the Voyageur. The cause of this controversy can be attributed to a failed attempt to negotiate an agreement whereby the Duluth Economic Development Authority (DEDA) would purchase a piece of the Voyageur Motel property.
The purchase would allow the DEDA to proceed with building the parking ramp they are legally obligated to construct as part of the St. Mary's Duluth Clinic's (SMDC) $75 million expansion of its medical campus. The footprint of the proposed 649 vehicle ramp includes a 125 by 140 foot lot that the Voyageur uses for guest parking. This small piece of property is generating big problems for the city, for SMDC and for the Voyageur.
Negotiations between the Pietrusas and the mayor's staff have, regrettably, been unsuccessful. As a result, the city's legal staff recently appeared before Judge John Oswald, asking for court affirmation of DEDA's authority to take the land from the Voyageur, using its power of eminent domain. Judge Oswald recently took the request under advisement, saying he expects to issue a decision in the near future. If the request is approved, the city will take possession of the Voyageur's parking lot.
The impasse and the subsequent threat of eminent domain are disheartening. I met with Rick and Pamela Pietrusa and toured their fine motel to better understand their position. I subsequently met with the mayor and asked him to share his perspective on the controversy. The Chamber later arranged to have their city council representative, Russ Stewart, meet with the Pietrusas. We have attempted to bring about a resolution to the challenge. Obviously, both sides of this controversy have logical reasons for taking their respective positions.
The Pietrusas are honest, hard-working small-business owners who deserve to be fully compensated for their property, while finding alternative opportunities to meet their motel patrons' parking needs. Similarly, the mayor and his staff members are dedicated and hard-working professionals who must find a way to allow the city to meet its legal obligation to build a parking ramp adjacent to the SMDC development. SMDC's decision-makers are caring, mission-driven leaders who deserve to have the parking ramp completed and ready to accommodate the patients who will be cared for within SMDC's $75 million medical campus expansion.
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The resolution of these conflicting needs will not be easy, but to believe there is no way out of the controversy except for the implementation of eminent domain is an error.
The stakes are high. The time is short. Nerve endings are frayed and exposed. Yet no situation is absolutely hopeless. Leonardo Da Vinci, Italian artist and inventor, said, "Every obstacle yields to stern resolve."
I encourage the fine individuals involved in this conflict to recommit themselves to finding a resolution. The Chamber's leadership dares to believe that the Pietrusas and Mayor Bergson can and ultimately will make this obstacle yield to their stern resolve to find an amicable solution.
