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MINUTES <br />CITY OF HUGO <br />CITY COUNCIL ASSESSMENT POLICY WORKSHOP <br />TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013 <br />7:00 PM <br />Mayor Weidt called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm <br />Present: Bronk, Haas, Klein, Petryk, Weidt <br />Absent: None <br />Also Present: City Administrator Bryan Bear, City Attorney Dave Snyder, City Engineer <br />Jay Kennedy, Finance Director Ron Otkin, Planner Rachel Juba, Planning Commission <br />Chair Rick Gwynn, EDA Commissioner Frank Puleo, Accounting Clerk Anna Wobse <br />City Administrator Bryan Bear stated that this workshop was a follow-up to the April 1, <br />2013 City Council meeting. At that meeting, Council heard a petition submitted by Len <br />Pratt asking the City to finance the construction of Rosemary Way between its existing <br />end within Victor Garden's North Village and Everton Avenue. The purpose of tonight's <br />workshop is to discuss the City of Hugo's Assessment Policy to see if Council would be <br />interested in making changes that would support petitions such as the one submitted. <br />City Engineer Jay Kennedy presented to the Council a PowerPoint presentation <br />reviewing the current Assessment Policy and shared information with the Council that <br />would help evaluate policy issues related to such petitions. He provided the Council with <br />both pros and cons of changing the current Assessment Policy to allow the City of Hugo <br />to finance projects within a development. <br />EDA Commissioner Frank Puleo stated that the EDA has discussed numerous ways to <br />jump-start development, but they have never discussed a policy where the City would <br />become a lender. As a property and business owner along Highway 61, he referenced the <br />study done along Highway 61 that would allow those residents to obtain utilities in that <br />area. If the current Assessment Policy would be changed he would expect those <br />businesses and residents along Highway 61 to ask for help with this project as well. <br />Developer, Len Pratt spoke about the benefits that would be gained from making <br />adjustments to the current Assessment Policy; it would not just benefit his current <br />development project, but all of Hugo. He stated that it would be important to establish <br />criteria that would make it fair for everyone. In his experience he feels that having these <br />transportation systems in place helps to bring development into the community. <br />Council discussed that current precedents call for development to pay for itself, but <br />questioned if it was time for an adjustment to the policy because of the changing <br />economy and the importance of bringing development into the City. They also discussed <br />if it was acceptable for them to make the decision or if it should be first brought to the <br />various advisory commissions and also open for public comment. Council directed Staff <br />to bring this issue to both the Economic Development Authority and the Planning <br />