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MINUTES <br />CITY COUNCII. <br />JANUARY 16, 2002 <br />her assessment is estimated at $5,000. She indicated that the improvement will <br />not increase the value of her property by $5,000. <br />Fahey indicated that the City must prove benefits received, and suggested that <br />an appraiser would support the fact that the proposed improvement benef is the <br />property at the level of the assessment. <br />Brandt disagreed that the increase in property value would be to the level of <br />the assessment. <br />Fahey indicated that the City must show the assessment meets the benefits <br />received test. If property owners disagreed, then there is a procedure they must <br />follow for contesting their assessment. <br />David Hinkley, 31 Demont, indicated that Little Canada is the highest taxed <br />city in Ramsey County. <br />Fahey disagreed, pointing out that the Council has worked hard to hold the line <br />on tax increases and Little Canada is now the 7°i lowest taxed city in Ramsey <br />County. <br />Hinkley reported that Demont Avenue was redone a few years ago. There are <br />currently cracks in the pavement and there is no maintenance being done on <br />that street. Mrs. Hinkley expressed concern that property owners are being <br />assessed for road improvements, and streets are not being maintained. The <br />result will be that streets deteriorate faster and the property owners are again <br />faced with a road improvement and assessment. Mrs. Hinkley questioned the <br />need to lower the street, pointing out that properties along Stark Street are high <br />and already drain into the street. <br />The City Engineer reported that curb and gutter will be put in to match <br />adjacent property elevations, and the street then put in to match the curb and <br />gutter. <br />Mrs. Hinkley asked why concrete curb and gutter. The City Engineer reported <br />that bituminous curbing does not last. <br />Mr. Hinkley asked why his property is being assessed again, when it was <br />already assessed for Demont. The City Engineer reported that a corner lot is <br />assessed at 100% of front footage for the front and 20% of front footage for <br />side frontage. <br />Fahey pointed out that total project costs for the Stark Street improvement are <br />$290,300. Of that amount $100,062.10 is proposed to be assessed. Fahey also <br />pointed out that there is not equal benefit to property owners for the amount of <br />