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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1976 08-25 Costly court decision angers city council THE REVIEW Costlycourt decision angers city council A court decision which has cost Greavu in voicing opposition to the ruling. situation" in assessing public im- Maplewood an additional $37,000 for a "The courts tell you you have to serve provements in the future and that future sewer project left that city's council people and now they tell you what you can project feasibility studies might also have furious--and vocal about it--Thursday, charge. The courts are sticking their to include information on property values Aug.19. noses into our business." as affected by proposed improvements. During that night's council meeting, Attorney Pais explained the court case Wiegert said,"All of us are going to pay City Attorney Donald Lais explained to tested the Drainage District Act of the for this." the council that a recent State Supreme slate legislature. He said the "very Councilman Norm Anderson moved in Court case determined that property recent"court decision on a Windom case favor of adopting the corrected involved in public improvements must be was concerned with use of the market assessments. Councilman Burton Mur- benefitted in an amount equal to those value of property as the basis for dock then asked if Anderson intend the assessments. assessments. council"swallow it." For Maplewood,that decision means a "In the Windom case,the project was a Greavu seconded the motion,"against loss of $37,000 from assessments for sanitary sewer and the city planned to my better judgement." Ferndale,a loss which is now to be added assess all of its$18,000 cost."However, Greavu told fellow councilmen,"It'll be to the general obligation portion of the court determined that property values a cold day before I vote to put another financing the street and sewer project. had increased only$9,000 because of the project in this city." Councilman John Greavu said,"If the improvement, "so that's all you can Wiegert replied,"We go to court either courts are going to start running the city, assess." way," for not providing services to I want answers to my questions prior to Lois said the court decision is"much residents and developers or for assessing court rulings."He labeled the legislators more tightening decision than anything what the court may feels to be too much in who supported fiscal disparities as"two we've had to deal with before." efforts to pay for those improvements. bit phonies. You see signs all over Re also noted,"With that one decision, The final council vote to adopt the Maplewood to vote for the guys who took I'm not prepared to tell just where the assessment role was 3-1,with Murdock money right out of your pocket.People courts will go in the future.There will dissenting.Mayor Robert Bruton was on are still backing them.I can't understand probably be other cases." vacation and did not attend the meeting. people any more." He indicated that ramifications of the The largest single amount lost on the Councilman Donald Wiegert joined decision could lead to "a very chaotic Ferndale assessments was a drop from $31,152 to $6,428 for residential assessments. Overall, assessments dropped from$175,706 to$138,689. The total city share increased from $60,646 to$97,664.