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MINUTES <br />CITY COUNCIL <br />JANUARY 16, 2008 <br />Tracey George, Thunder Bay Road, noted that the property owners have <br />already indicated to the City that they are not in favor of the improvement. <br />She asked what part of no the City does not understand. Blesener pointed <br />out that there were a total of 26 property owners that indicated they did <br />favor the project or did not respond to the survey. It was noted on the <br />survey form that anon-response would be considered to be a vote in favor <br />of the project. <br />The City Administrator indicated that in addition to the neighborhood <br />meeting and the survey, the City decided to call for the improvement <br />hearing so that impacted property owners were fully informed and <br />involved in the decision-making process. <br />Keis noted that the project can be delayed at this time; however, the street <br />will not get any better and prices will continue to increase. <br />Eugene Pugh, Thunder Bay Road, stated that no one is opposed to the <br />street being repaired, it is the cost of reconstruction that property owners <br />are opposed to. Pugh felt that if there was some compromise in the level <br />of assessments, there would be support for the project. He noted the <br />earlier comment that Payne Avenue property owners paid 30% of the <br />reconstruction costs of that street. The City Engineer noted that Payne <br />Avenue property owners were assessed for 30% of costs. The proposed <br />assessment for Thunder Bay Road property owners is Z1% of costs. The <br />City Engineer stated that even though the assessment policy was changed <br />relative to the reconstruction of urban section streets, the resulting <br />assessment levels are reflective of how the Payne Avenue reconstruction <br />was handled. <br />Chris Pugh suggested that the initial construction of Thunder Bay Road <br />appears to be faulty to begin with, and suggested that this was an issue <br />between the City and the contractor. Pugh asked how many property <br />owners did not respond to the survey. It was noted that 14 did not <br />respond. The City Administrator pointed out that this same format has <br />been used in the past with non-responses being counted to as being in <br />favor. <br />Chris Pugh asked if the Thunder Bay Road project was a maintenance <br />project or a full reconstruction. Pugh indicated that the cost of a <br />maintenance project would be tax deductible for property owners, while <br />full reconstruction would not. The City Administrator indicated that it <br />was a full reconstruction. The Administrator did not believe that any <br />street assessment would be tax deductible. He also noted that the level of <br />a special assessment must be equal to the increase in property value, <br />otherwise the City does not have the authority to levy the assessment. He <br />noted that the City has not obtained appraisals on the past few projects to <br />12 <br />