Bryan and Tammy Merkel had always wanted to live and raise their family in the Goodrich area.
‘We had been looking for a piece of property to build our dream home on for many years,? said Tammy. She and Bryan have two daughters, Baylee, 16, and Marcella, 8.
‘We wanted to be on a paved road with enough land to build a pole barn on so we could also have room for our toys.?
Bryan served in the Army’a career than spanned more than 22 years including two tours of Iraq and one in Afghanistan.
‘Over the years it had been difficult for our family’he was deployed and really not here to find property,? she said. ‘Then we found the perfect 3.5 acres off Gale Road and purchased the land in June. We selected a builder and were ready to start the home in September.?
Last August the family found out about ET Rover and the proposed pipeline.
‘I thought they were kidding at first,? she said. ‘Then we looked at the maps and the pipeline was coming right through the middle of our property. ET Rover never called us about he location of the pipeline because we were just so new to owning the land our name was not on everything yet. Finally RT Rover kept telling us they’d find another route’we had plans, contractors and permits all ready to go.?
The route change never happened’by January the ET Rover pipeline was going to run right through the Merkels? property’leaving their new land unsuitable for building.
‘The sale price was nearly all set for our land,? she said. ‘Then this week we got a call that they did not need our property after all’it’s been an absolute emotional roller coaster. There has been just so many costs for us due to the ET Rover proposed pipeline. So far ET Rover keeps the door open for us to recoup some of the money we lost in legal fees plus other costs that we would have never expected. Still we are happy to get building. Bryan has now retired from the Army and is home for good. In the end we’ll get a new home, but I really have mixed emotions.?