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<br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL - MARCH 30. 1998 <br /> <br />8 <br /> <br />Mayor Probst explained the design work is done by the City Engineer and the project is then <br />advertised for bid. As a public agency, anyone can bid the project and the City awards to the <br />lowest responsible bidder. The City Engineer advised that nine bids were received for this <br />project. <br /> <br />Jim Ross, 4029 Fairview Avenue, asked ifthe City wants the assessment payment within 30 <br />days of the project or interest will be charged. Mayor Probst stated this is correct. <br /> <br />Mr. Ross noted the City is not paying for the project up front and asked why residents should <br />have to pay up front before the contractor is paid. Mayor Probst explained the funds will be <br />spent over 60 to 90 days and, in terms of the City's ability to assess, those are the timelines the <br />City works under. <br /> <br />Mr. Ross stated some people don't have the money to pay for this project but while he can afford <br />to pay it he does not want to pay 120 days before it is given to the contractor since he will loose <br />investment interest on the money. He suggested the Council be flexible to help those that have <br />young families or are retired and find it difficult to put out this amount of money. Mr. Ross <br />suggested the Council ask Ms. Haake to work with the City as an advisor for road projects. He <br />stated that residents are not happy with the way the Council is doing things and an exchange of <br />ideas would be better for the City and its residents <br /> <br />Mayor Probst stated the Mounds View project may have been a victory for residents on the street <br />to be improved but funds were used on that street which could have been used more broadly <br />throughout the community to deal with other issues. But, since the funds were expended on that <br />project, they are no longer available for other areas in Mounds View. Mayor Probst stated the <br />Council has listened to the residents very carefully and modified the street design as a result of <br />what residents have requested if done for specific reasons. He stated that there can be a debate <br />over the policies in existence but the Council believes it offers an appropriate path. <br /> <br />Lois Rem, 1670 Glenview Court, asked if it would result in a 20% property tax increase if all <br />taxpayers cover the cost. She inquired regarding the average tax paid. <br /> <br />Mr. Post stated on a median valued home of $141 ,000 the taxes paid to the City would be <br />approximately $400 per year. <br /> <br />Councilmember Malone stated the City also has to deal with levy limits as placed by the <br />Legislature which originally resulted in the Assessment Policy. He stated this alternative has <br />been discussed and may be an option when levy limits are removed. Councilmember Malone <br />stated he has paid assessments twice and the good thing with assessments is that the money goes <br />for something "concrete." But, if it is in the General Fund, there are a lot of other uses for it. <br />Councilmember Malone stated if the levy is increased, he questions whether the funds would all <br />get used for road improvements. <br /> <br />Councilmember Hicks stated if the levy limit is increased by 20% to cover the armual street <br />improvement costs, it would result in annual funding for the street improvement fund. He stated <br />he believes there are residents that may support it, but not on an annual basis. He restated the <br />Council has listened to residents to modify roadway projects and they did revise a project to <br />