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Residentsof 401st cry unfair treatmentBy Barbara Brown Residents of 401st Street spoke out at Monday nightís North Branch City Council meeting, saying it would be unfair to assess them to pay for paving 400th Street. The city council asked city engineers to see about the cost and feasibility of paving 400th Street, which leads to the industrial park. After accepting the project study and agreeing to move forward, the city sent notices to owners of property that backs up to 400th Street that they would be assessed part of the cost of the project. Jay Kennedy, from WSB and Associates, the cityís engineering firm, told the council Monday night during a public hearing that the road is eligible for state aid which would pay for about $187,110 of the $249,475 project. Property owners would be assessed the remaining $62,365, with the majority of assessments coming from owners of land in the business district on the south side of 400th Street. Owners on the north side of 400th do not have access to the road because it borders their back yards, but still would be asked to pay for the improvement. Kennedy told the council after reviewing regular assessment procedures, it did not seem fair to ask the north property owners to pay an assessment based on 100 percent of property frontage, as is normal practice. He said assessments would be based upon 25 percent of their total property frontage and would average about $625 per property owner. About 13 resident property owners would be subject to the assessments. Residents Kim and Russ Pierre told the council they believed the city only wants 400th Street paved because it would make for better access to the industrial park. Council member Rod Lofquist contradicted their suggestion by saying the city had been planning to pave the road for a long time. ìFor those who perceive weíre doing this for the industrial park, thatís part of it,î he said. ìBut 400th Street is something weíve been looking at for years. The industrial park has just pushed that up a little more.î The council cast four votes to continue with the project. Council member Amy Oehlers was absent from the meeting and the motion required four of five votes of the members to pass. Residents will have a chance to appeal any assessment they may have at a later assessment hearing, said city engineer Julie Dresel. Council members voted to allow the department to install two 1,000-gallon fuel tanks near the Public Works garage. The installation would ultimately save the city money, according to a letter from Public Works director Gary Schaefer. Schaeferís letter explained to the council that the department would see an approximate savings of 44 cents per gallon, based on 5,000 gallons usage, by storing a large amount solely for city use instead of buying it at a commercial fueling station. The letter also stated that the money the city saves from using the tanks would pay for the $6,000 project within 17 months. Also at the meeting, the council ï Voted to let James Nagle of North Branch set up a temporary shop at North Branch Liquors to sell fireworks including patriotic novelties and safety accessories until June 30. ï Adopted a resolution that would prohibit parking on the west side of Grand Avenue in accordance with state requirements because of the continuing Grand Avenue sewer project. ©ECM Post Review |