HomeMy WebLinkAbout1981 08-05 There is no escape from city assessments THE REVIEW There is no escapee«,5 / . ,
from city assessments
By JONATHON CLYDE GLASS $3,952,000.Construction expenses account
Staff Writer for$2,699,000,while engineering required
$1,044,000 and interest makes up the
The completion of five street,water and remainder..
sewer projects in Maplewood brought The total cost is slightly diminished by
mixed blessings to nearby residents.On $661,000 in state aid for the roadwork,and
one hand,the work is finally completed $97,000 from the city of Maplewood,as its
and the utilities ready for service.On the share of the sewer work.Even with such
other hand,assessment figures have been aid, more than $3,200,000 has to be
determined and notices mailed out,an- assessed to local residents whose
pouncing that people have until the end of properties abut the street and sewer
August to make their payments if they projects.
want to avoid interest. For people with large parcels of
At its July 30 meeting,the Maplewood property, the costs can be staggering.
City Council heard from several dozen Dick Pearson, 1959 White Bear Ave.,
residents distressed with their Maplewood,faces a$162,000 fee for the
assessments. The property owners had road,and possibly$152,000 for the sewers,
the opportunity to complain and file of- on his 40 acre property near the Maryland
ficial requests that the city defer,revise Avenue project.
or cancel their assessments. Bob Berglund,owner of Beaver Lake
It is unlikely,however,that any major Estates Mobile Home Park, will be
revisions will be made,according to City charged$209,000 despite the fact that he
Manager Barry Evans.The Public Works maintains his own sewer system within
Department will review every citizen the mobile home park.He will have no
request and recommend to the council for choice but to pass on the costs to his
or against it,Evans said.But high cost tenants,he told the council.
alone is not sufficient reason to change The ssessment hearing seemed to be a
the assessment,he explained.High costs glum affair for all involved. Property-
are simply a fact of life,and unless there owners A long line of property-owners
have been errors in the city's strode to the microphone, assessment
measurements of people's properties, notices in hand,with their list of corn-
relief from the high assessments is plaints—they did not want the projects in
unlikely,he continued. the first place,the projects do not really
In the meantime, the council voted benefit their properties, and the final
unanimously to approve the current costs are way over the initial estimates.
assessments on all five projects. The The council members listened intently,
projects and their costs are: Howard but left it primarily to Evans and Mayor
Street and Larpenteur Avenue,$120,000; John Greavu to defend their position.
Gervais Avenue — Kennard Street to Regardless of how sympathetic they are
White Bear Avenue, $966,000; Gervais to the high costs,Greavu and Evans were
Avenue and English Street, $536,000; not inclined to grant exceptions.Once the
Maryland Avenue,Ivy Avenue,Ferndale Projects have been completed, Greavu
Street and Sterling Street,$2,022,000;and explained to one property-owner after
the Cope Avenue connection,$264,000. another, the city has no choice but to
Total cost for the projects is more than distribute the cost to adjoining residents.