10-17-05 Council Special Minutes

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MINUTES CITY COUNCIL OCTOBER 17, 2005 The Engineer then reviewed assessment payment methods noting that property owners can pay their assessment in full or in part, with no interest accruing, at the City within 30 days of adoption of the assessment roll. Unpaid assessments will be certified to Ramsey County after the initial 30 day period for collection with property faxes. The assessments will be spread over 10 years at 5.75% interest per year. The Engineer also noted that any Time after certification, property owners can pay their assessment off in full to Ramsey County. If at some point property owners intend to pay their assessment off prior to the 10 year term, payment should be made prior to November 15~h of the year in which paid. Otherwise, State Statute requires that the next year's interest be charged against the assessment balance. At this point, the public hearing was opened for comments from the general public. A property owner asked about payment of the assessment to the City as well as whether or not the assessment was tax deductible. The City Clerk reported that the assessment can be paid to the City without interest through November 16, 2005. After that date, the assessment will be certified to Ramsey County for collection with property taxes. The City Administrator reported that assessment amounts, including interest on assessment balances, are not tax deductible. The Administrator reported that some property owners have opted for home equity loans to pay off assessment balances, so that the interesC could be deducted from income taxes if the taxpayer itemizes deductions. Ronald Ruesling reported thaC he is purchasing 219 Viking Drive azrd asked who would be responsible for payment of the assessment. The City Administrator noted that the assessment has been a pending assessment since January of 2005. Typically, purchase agreements will list pending assessments as the responsibility of the seller. Joel Brown, 110 County Road B-2 East, submitted a letter of objection to the assessment dated October 17, 2005. Mayor Blesener read the letter into the record. The issues raised by Mr. Brown related Co construction crews and equipment encroaching onto his property, trash left on the property, and the need to redo the filling of a trench so that he could access his property. Blesener assw•ed Mr. Brown that his property would be restored appropriately. The City Engineer agreed that the property would be restored to the same or better condition than it was prior to the improvement project. 2