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Citizen - There is such a thing as a situation of an underground stream in one <br />district feeding a pond in another district and that district would be paying <br />to keep that water level down. <br /> <br />Mr. Hartley - There will be a time for comments regarding the water problems <br />themselves. What has happened thus far is Council wanted to look at the <br />possibility of establishing smaller drainage districts. A hearing on that <br />proposal was held. A major comment at that hearing was to look into <br />establishing the entire community as one taxing district. That idea was <br />investigated and the answer from the bonding attornies was 'no'. The best that <br />could be arrived at was to have the community divided into two taxing districts <br />because the community does drain into two separate areas. Another major <br />comment expressed was 'I don't want to pay to benefit somebody else'. It would <br />appear that based on some of the City's projections, that both districts would <br />be paying close to the same dollars over the years. <br /> <br />Dennis Tweed - 6441 167th Avenue - How much control of expenditures remains in <br />the hands of the people with taxing districts? <br /> <br />Mr. Hartley - There are a number of controls any citizen has over expenditures <br />in your community but it all comes down to your oppotunity to vote. If you <br />don't like what is being done, express it through your vote. The <br />responsibility to see to it that certain kinds of public improvements are <br />provided is the responsibility of the elected persons. They have to do their <br />best to make decisions that are wise and financially prudent without harming <br />the citizens. The power and authority to do improvements resides with Council <br />and it always has; the power and authority to vote has always resided with the <br />public. There are measures individuals can take to have a specific input on <br />anything Council does. Those procedures are called referendum and initiative. <br />Referendum is voting on whether or not legislation is enacted and initiative is <br />propose legislation. In Ramsey, 10% of the registered voters at the last City <br />wide election have that power of initiative and referendum. <br /> <br />Dave Daniels - 16028 Ironstone St. NW - Why were developers allowed to build in <br />wet areas? What is being done to impeded further development in these wet <br />areas? <br /> <br />Mr. Hartley - Conditions that existed when properties were developed and the <br />information that was available at the time suggested that there should not be a <br />problem. Council reviewed the information available at the time and made the <br />best decision at the time. The City has a rather complete subdivision <br />ordinance that spells out soil requirements, water table and all <br />characteristics that have to exist before property can be built on. That <br />subdivision ordinance calls for a minimum water table of 6'. <br /> <br />Gene Waldowski - 14743 Bowers Drive - A few years ago people in his <br />neighborhood were assessed for road improvements; 1/2 of the cost of that road <br />improvement was for drainage. People in this area are concerned with paying <br />for their own drainage and being assessed again to correct other city drainage <br />problems. It is double taxation. <br /> <br />Lola Waller - Talked to DNR and the properties having the most problems are <br />built on ponds. The City wants to make storm sewer improvements but taxing the <br />people when it was really Council's error in issuing building permits to build <br />on ponds and swamps. If it is Council's error, then the whole City should have <br /> <br />Page 4 of <br /> <br /> <br />