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Motion carried unanimously. • Mayor Miedtke then presented a Certificate of Achievement from the Minnesota Council on Health to Councilman Stauffer as Chairman of the Drug Abuse Task Force. Also participating in the award ceremonies were Dr. William Carr and Ruth Hultgren who also served on the Council-appointed task force who were cited for their efforts to alleviate the problem of chemical dependency in the community. Councilman Stauffer 's memo of October 6th regarding the formation of a Drug Abuse Information Committee to carry out the task force recom- mendations was discussed and the Council members gave their views of what they saw would be the functions of the committee as she had re- quested. There were no objections to the use of a room in City Hall for a resource information center but some concern was voiced by Councilmen Sundland and Haik whether the committee could be truly "autonomous" if appointed by the Council. Councilman Sundland also feared those experiencing a crisis might hesitate to contact the committee if they saw the City or Police Department involved. Council- man Haik said she thought any City funding could be "run through the Police Department" . Mayor Miedtke said he could see a semi-formal recognition of the committee by the Council if the committee members felt this is necessary to make the organization more viable. Mrs. Hultgren will convey their thoughts to those persons who are in- terested in continuing the drug awareness program who will in turn request whatever action they require from the City. Mr. Fornell suggested one of the resources available to families in a crisis is the use of the United Fund agency' s Community Information Referral Service and its "crisis number" . Councilman Haik reviewed the standards she and Councilman Sundland had found other communities had established for granting assessment deferments in hardship cases to those over 65 years of age. She saw a Deferred Assessment Policy as a tool which the City could make available to the residents who might need it. Mr. Fornell agreed with her assessment that, the impact on the City's financial situation would be negligible. It was considered vital that there be some acknowledgement from the applicants that they understood all the ramifications of the defer- ment and that the policy only applied to the specific assessment to which it might be applied. The Staff will prepare a resolution which will establish a Deferred Assessment Policy which may be granted for homesteaded property to any resident over 65 who makes application for it and whose income does not exceed $9, 000 . Original assessment interest rates are to apply; the granting of deferments will be left to the discretion of the City Staff with the prerogative of withdrawing the privilege is left with the Council. (4)