Agenda - Council - 12/10/1996 - Laserfiche WebLink

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I I I Why do we hav~ to keep forking out money for things we didn't ask for. Being assessed this amount of mone3J is a hardship. Mr. Jankowski ~plained that sea/coating is relatively simple. They spray down bituminous and cover it with aggt~e~ gate. As to why you are assessed - it's been the long-standing policy to fund strut maintenan~ in this manner. It used to be we assessed 100%. Now the City and the homeowners sha~e the cost evenly. I I I I Ms. Svare asked .Why they are paying for lighting they do not have and added that she has already paid for a cul-de-Sac she did not need. She reiterated that the sealcoating was poorly done and that it wasn't needed In the first place and again commented on the recent tax hike. "All these things should be covere~t by our taxes." Mr. Schroeder stated, that with regard to street lights - the City placed street lights at priority intersections and Se beneficiaries of these lights are the residential community. The commercial community is pa~ng for it differently. City Council chose not to levy a tax to pay for the lighting. It's for the prin~pal intersections and all subdivisions will not see these lights put on their intersections. Ms. Svare inquired why these could not be covered in taxes and could not recollect getting charged for all of this when she lived in Coon Rapids. I I Mr. Schroeder reSPonded that Coon Rapids has a 4% utility bill surcharge to pay for street lights and they have all their lights in - we have just started. Ms. Svare inquired why they were charged $500 for a cul-de-sac. Mayor Hardin offered that staff could research that issue and get back to her. I I I I I Ms. Svare inquire:t why sealcoating is not covered with taxes. It's not that easy to come up with the money to take care of this. Most people assume these things are covered by taxes. It seems we are always payin~ out extra money. It's frustrating. Mayor Hardin responded that we are trying to do sea/coating every seven years. There was a time when all properties were 100% assessed. Ms. Svare inquire,d if the streets are checked before they are coated. Mayor Hardin rePlied yes. Mr. Jankowski s~ted that this process was started back in Februmy when the City sent out notification that tl~se projects would be done. Ramsey charges for many things, probably because we are not as homogenous as other cities are. Different costs are associated with different lots. Ms. Svare felt all ~hese charges were inappropriate. Motion by Counci[member Beahen and seconded by Councilmember Peterson to close the public hearing. Motion carried. Voting Yes: Mayor Hardin, Councilmembers Beahen, Peterson, Beyer and .I Zimmerman. Voting No: None. I I The public heating closed at 7:29 p.m. City Council/October 8, 1996 Page 9 of 26 /77