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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008-05-01 PHCITY OF CENTERVILLE CITY COUNCIL MEETING/PUBLIC HEARING May 1, 2008 6:30 p.m. Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, the City of Centerville held a public hearing on May 1, 2008, at St. Genevieve Community Parish, 6995 Centerville Road. PRESENT: Mayor Mary Capra Council Member Tom Lee Council Member Jeff Paar Council Member Michelle Lakso n n~ ~ Council Member Linda Broussard-Vicker O U ~ ~ ABSENT: None STAFF: City Administrator Dallas Larson Paul Palzer, Public Works Director City Engineer Mark Statz L CALL TO ORDER Mayor Capra called the May 1, 2008, public hearing to order at 6:40 p.m. IL PUBLIC HEARING Presentation of 2009 Street Project Mayor Capra explained the purpose of the meeting tonight is to hear testimony on the proposed 2009 street project. She stated if residents have documentation they would like to submit, that documentation will be accepted into the official record now or it may be dropped off at city hall over the next two weeks. City Administrator Larson stated this public hearing is part of the statutory process required for doing street improvements. He indicated notices were mailed to all property owners within ten days of the hearing and the notice was published for two weeks, as required by statute. He added individual notices included an estimate of the proposed assessment. City Engineer Statz expressed his thanks to all the residents he has met with over the past few days and stated there have been a lot of good discussions with citizens regarding the street project. He added there have been two prior public meetings regarding the street project and this meeting represents the official public hearing. City of Centerville City CounciUPublic Hearing Meeting Minutes May 1, 2008 City Engineer Statz explained this project was first contemplated as a result of the 2003 pavement management study and affects X470 homes and includes 5.7 miles of street. He stated that 175 homes will be connected to city water and an additiona197 homes will be offered connection to city water. He stated this is an approximate $7-8 million project, and this amount includes all project costs, including legal, engineering, and bond issues; the City is proposing to assess a portion of these project costs. He stated that some changes have been made to the project since the last public meeting based on resident input, additional freeze/thaw information, as well as additional information on pavement status after the snow melted. City Engineer Statz stated that other improvements in the project include spot sanitary sewer repairs, water main bolt replacement, storm sewer repair, watershed requirements, lift station #3 abandonment on Center Street, and water services from the right-of--way to homes. He added the City will attempt to fix those problems during construction on the project. He explained that the watershed rules include infiltration features as part of the project, in the form of rain gardens. City Engineer Statz stated the numbers on the assessment notices include the water main in the street and service to the property; the numbers do not include the cost of running water from the right-of--way to the home. He indicated the City Council is considering giving residents the option of having the City's contractor directionally drill the water service from the curb stop into the home or hiring their own contractor to do the same. City Engineer Statz presented an overview of the project schedule and stated if the project moves forward, the City Council will order the improvement, which means asking the engineers to produce plans and specs and obtain bids; once a bid is in place, staff will be able to provide residents with a solid number later this fall. He indicated that at that time, the City would hold an assessment hearing; following that, the awarding of the bid will take place, and construction would begin in 2009. He added that the water service hook-up deadline is fall 2010 or within one year of the water main being made available. City Administrator Larson stated that the estimated assessment notices were mailed to all affected residents and includes all work within the right-of--way and assumes a 15 year payback with some smaller amounts being paid in ten years, at a 5.25% interest rate based upon the current bond market. He reiterated the amounts do not include water service between the property line (approximately $4,000) and home and trunk system connection fees ($1,750). He stated that concrete curb and gutter will be about $8 per foot and road improvement is estimated at $11.50 - $46 per linear foot. He explained that for purposes of this meeting, staff determined a reasonable estimate of what each property owner will pay if the street project moves forward, and sidewalks and pathways are included as an appurtenance to the street, and thus are included in the cost. Mayor Capra stated each resident will be given two to three minutes to speak and stated if a resident has suggestions or alternatives, the City Council is open to hearing them. Page 2 of 13 City of Centerville City CounciUPublic Hearing Meeting Minutes May 1, 2008 Ray Martin, 7245 Mill Road Mr. Martin stated he is retired and on a fixed income and cannot afford this project. He stated he spoke to a realtor and learned that these improvements will not improve the value of his property. He asked the Council to carefully consider the improvements. Carl Buechler, 1287 Mound Trail Mr. Buechler stated that last year, he offered to extend the water line to the last five houses on his street at a cost of $4,700; today, that cost is approximately $ll,000- $17,000. Melody Meath, 7246 Mill Road Ms. Meath presented the City Council with a petition for placement into the official record to postpone voting on this project and reassess the scope of the project. She stated the petition represents 67% of the 470 households affected by this project, and includes a total of 520 signatures. Ms. Meath also presented a letter to the City Council for placement into the official record. She asked the City Council if there have been other options looked at with respect to the project. She indicated that a lot of people feel that Mill Road is dangerous; she disagreed with this statement. Norma Essex, 7333 Old Mill Road Ms. Essex stated she is concerned about the spending that the City has incurred. She asked how much grant money the City has and questioned whether the City needs this kind of project when it will substantially increase the City's debt. Cram Sievert, 7254 Mill Road Mr. Sievert stated most people want this project put on hold. He commended the Mayor and Council for their efforts in putting to rest the misconceptions associated with the project, but now there appear to be more questions than answers. He stated the project manager for the Beard Group has indicated to the Council that it is a tough time to do the downtown project and asked if the City should be spending money on wants rather than needs. He asked if the City has received a final number for the County Road14 project. He asked the City to take a step back and look at the speed at which it is spending. He stated the City collected money from the developer for parks and asked why that money hasn't been put into the roads instead of bike paths. He asked if funds were taken from the water budget to pay for the park. He stated residents were told the City is picking up 70% of the project, and questioned whether this is true. He added that the total cost of the sidewalks and trails on this project are being evenly distributed among the homes affected. He stated it is hard to feel good about the 2009 road project when the answers are different at every City Council meeting. He stated residents want the Council to understand that they want to be heard and you cannot ignore the taxpayers. Thierry Chevalier, 1982 South Robin Lane Mr. Chevalier stated he received the letter stating that the City wanted to perform road improvements; as a result, he put a petition out and every single house signed the petition. He stated they do not need city water and there is nothing wrong with his well. He added he does not have that kind of money and asked the City Council to slow down. Page 3 of 13 City of Centerville City CounciUPublic Hearing Meeting Minutes May 1, 2008 Tom Walsh, 7162 Brian Way NIr. Walsh stated he lives in a cul-de-sac just off Brian and the City is proposing to put a sidewalk in from a paved pathway to a park that is very small; as a result, he will have several large trees uprooted in his yard. He stated he was told by the developer that there is a plan to connect all of Centerville, and he questioned how many people will use that park. He added the rest of the cul de sac is not getting a sidewalk. He stated his street is designated C1 improvement but there are no potholes in his road. He stated the value of his home will not increase as a result of these improvements and asked the City Council to reconsider the C 1 improvement on his street and to not build a sidewalk. Wes Schoeberlein, 1744 Partrid e'~ Place NIr. Schoeberlein stated he is not being assessed, but this project affects him and everyone here because all residents will pay for it. He indicated that the current economic times dictate that this project not go forward. City Engineer Statz stated with respect to Mill Road, the Council directed staff to look at any improvement to that road as including a 33' wide road with curb and gutter. He noted after further investigation, staff feels it may be prudent to leave the road as it is and that is the reason it was downgraded to a type D improvement. He stated that staff feels it can accommodate the trees on NIr. Walsh's property and that the trail connection is an important part of the overall trail plan. City Administrator Larson stated there were a number of statements made and questions asked that are not related to this project and he is happy to talk to anybody after the meeting. He stated there was a statement made that the sidewalks are being paid for by the 470 homeowners and that statement is not quite correct; it is being allocated on the same basis as the pavement with the City participating on the same level as on the street. Cory Padrnos, 1874 Center Street NIr. Padrnos asked that the Council think about the choice it is making at this time. He stated right now, the City does not have access to federal funds to support this project so it falls on the residents. He asked the Council to look at other ways to help increase the City's population so that it can obtain federal funding to support the streets, or it should consider putting Centerville up for sale. Mrs. Brad Olson, 1983 South Robin Lane Mrs. Olson stated that they will be paying $19,000-$20,000 for these improvements. She stated they already pay high property taxes and now the City is asking residents to pay for road improvements, plus interest. She asked why the City is taking away the use of their wells. Brad Olson, 1983 South Robin Lane NIr. Olson expressed frustration with the City Council and stated he wishes the Council good luck in getting re-elected. Page 4 of 13 City of Centerville City CounciUPublic Hearing Meeting Minutes May 1, 2008 Brian Beert, 1829 Houle Circle Mr. Beert asked if the drainage pipes are going to be the same size or expanded. He stated if they are not going to be increased, he did not see any reason why they should change because the drainage in his street is not bad. He stated with the current economy, nobody knows what the future will hold and there are a lot of homes in foreclosure. He asked if the project as planned is a done deal, or whether some streets can be opted out. He also asked if the City has received complaints from residents about their streets. City Engineer Statz explained that state aid funds come from the gas tax and are available to cities with populations over 5,000; those funds will accrue once Centerville hits 5,000 people and may be used only for designated streets, which means that the City chooses collector routes to put in line for those funds. He stated in response to the question about the wells, to his knowledge, if the project goes forward, all developed property in the City would have city water. He stated the drainage pipes are being expanded in some cases, but the project primarily calls for expanding the number of drainage inlets and improving drainage by cleaning ditches and improving culverts; many are deteriorated and in a state of disrepair. He stated in terms of streets being opted out, that is certainly on the table and this is not an all or nothing project. Chuck Schwinn, 1877 Prairie Drive Mr. Schwinn stated the Council now has a petition signed by 67% of residents and implored the Council to hear the resident's voices. He stated that Shad Avenue was redone a couple of years ago and it seems the roads only last about ten years per project due to the soil in the City. He stated it does not matter how much money is spent on road repair, it doesn't last. He asked why the City is spending so much money on a cul de sac when the traffic level is lower than any of the other streets. He expressed his thanks to the engineering staff for coming back to his street and re-evaluating it. He asked what the City has done to draw and keep businesses in the City to help offset taxes. He stated Centerville has some of the highest taxes in the state and if the City becomes part of Lino Lakes, it will lower taxes. Tom Wilharber, 6849 Centerville Road Mr. Wilharber stated when he served on the City Council, there was an issue with the road and a lawsuit was commenced. He stated he felt it was important to remember that the engineers work for an engineering company first, and secondly they work for the City. Dale Meyers, 7277 Clearwater Drive Mr. Meyers stated he felt it was unfair that corner lots are being double assessed. He stated the assessment is unfair to people who are retired. Danielle Sanborn, 1994 South Robin Lane Ms. Sanborn stated she is opposed to the project and was not aware of any evidence that indicates these improvements will improve property values. She asked what residents will gain by being connected to the city water supply and added it is not feasible to retrofit their water connection. She stated their water supply is at the rear of their home Page 5 of 13 City of Centerville City CounciUPublic Hearing Meeting Minutes May 1, 2008 and in order to connect to the house, a branch line will be drilled under their house, which will require 30-40 more feet of additional water line. She asked about the requirement to connect to city water and stated she understood there was a ruling that states a city cannot force residents to cap their wells. J.J. Sahlstrom, 1605 Peltier Lake Drive Mr. Sahlstrom stated this project is estimated at $7 million with the city's share of 70% amounting to an average of $4,184 per household, and the remaining 30% divided among the affected property owners, averaging $4,937 per house, for a total average per affected household of $9,121. He stated his well works great and his road is as good as the average road in Centerville. He suggested the City scale back the work on Peltier Lake Drive to include only necessary road repairs. He added that another factor to consider is that the 2009 project will not improve property values. He questioned who benefits from the project and who pays. He did not feel the people living on Peltier Lake will benefit from getting city water. He stated that routine road maintenance should be included as part of the city budget. City Engineer Statz stated that the principle behind road improvements is to be prudent with taxpayer money and to be proactive with pavement management. He stated that pavement on a busy road can certainly be more susceptible to failure and the City tries to keep up the maintenance on these roads; one part of maintenance is mill and overlay and another is D type improvements. He stated he felt the effort being put forth by the City is proactive and requires the City to be prudent over a long period of time. He stated that corner lots have a full assessment on the front part of the lot and a much smaller (20%) assessment on the side yard. He stated with respect to the water main on Robin Lane, the City explored alternative locations but there are a number of issues associated with the placement of the water main in back yards. He explained this placement would increase the length of the water main, but the overriding factor in the City's decision has to do with the lack of easements in back yards because these lots only have 10' easements and hooking all service to that main requires more than ten feet; this would require obtaining additional construction easements from each property owner. He addressed the question regarding the requirement to cap wells and stated the Department of Health has informed staff that wells will be allowed for non-potable uses such as sprinklers. Sheri Szabo, 7124 Centerville Road Ms. Szabo stated the whole idea to improve Centerville was to clean up the downtown area, improve the streets, bring in more people and businesses, and have better homes and neighborhoods. She stated they can no longer afford to live here and asked what will happen when you have a really pretty town but no one can afford to live there. John Moore, 1743 Peltier Lake Drive Mr. Moore expressed frustration that they were told in February that wells needed to be capped and now it appears they do not need to be capped. He stated he does not have confidence that the scope of the project has been reduced to where it needs to be. He asked if an independent appraiser should review the scope of the project to make sure everything is in order. Page 6 of 13 City of Centerville City CounciUPublic Hearing Meeting Minutes May 1, 2008 Tom Babcook, 1269 Mound Trail Mr. Babcook stated he was not aware of the line fee and connection fee for water and this amount represents a significant increase from the notice he received. He stated he does not believe state law requires that residents hookup to city water within one year of water being available. He stated he felt the line fee should be minimized. He mentioned his neighbor lives in Lino Lakes, on the same street, and to his knowledge, there is not a water line going to their property and they are not required to hookup. Sherry Gust, 1975 73rd Street Ms. Gust expressed concern that she is paying for the use of her road by the entire city of Centerville and others. She stated she is a single parent and cannot afford the assessment. She asked that the project be re-examined and scaled down to roads in need of the most repair. She stated she was told that her road was not built to specifications and it should have lasted a lot longer than it has. She indicated she did not feel she should have to pay for mistakes done in the past. Daniel Skoog, 1613 Peltier Lake Drive Mr. Skoog stated he appreciates the work that the Council does and their dedication to serving the City. He expressed concern about the lack of response to the people of Centerville and particularly on Peltier Lake Drive. He stated they had sewer put in in 1976 and the road put in at that time lasted only ten years because it was poorly done. He explained that in 1987, a new street was put in and at that time, it was discovered that two-thirds of Peltier Lake Drive was fine, but the rest of it was deteriorated due to water running the street from people using their sump pumps to drain into the street. Mr. Skoog presented several photographs of Peltier Lake Drive for placement in the official record. He stated the City has not maintained the street and has ignored the water going down the street from sump pumps. He stated they do not need city water on Peltier Lake Drive. He added he just put in a new well and he is not going to cap that well or pay a usage fee. He stated he thought the City should only repair the road where needed. Steve King, 1724 Sorel Street Mr. King asked if all developed land will be connected to city water and if this will include the down area. He stated he agreed with everybody's comments tonight. Francine and Crai'~ Curtis, 1902 Center Street Ms. Curtis stated they do not want city water and cannot afford the assessment. She stated her neighbors join her every year to clean up the swamp and unplug the drains in her area. She stated she thought the City was supposed to maintain this swamp. L_yNae Marshall, 7216 LaValle Drive and 1580 Sorel Ms. Marshall stated they moved in May of 1995 and were excited when her parents built right next door. She stated they talked to the owner at 1680 Sorel and they bought this property, zoned R2, in 2004, with the intention of tearing down the two dilapidated buildings and putting up two new homes for rental and overflow. She explained that the Council then changed the zoning ordinance to mixed use; she never wanted to sell 1680 Page 7 of 13 City of Centerville City CounciUPublic Hearing Meeting Minutes May 1, 2008 Sorel, but when the City indicated it would implement eminent domain, they felt they had no choice. She stated the effort, stress, and risk it took for them to purchase an investment property only to have the Council tie their hands and eventually relinquish it back to the City has been egregious and unconscionable. She stated they sold their home in 2007 and now live at 7216 LaValle Drive and are facing another taking by the City because the Council is turning a one block dead-end road, owned by the citizens, into a public street with city water. She stated there are only five homes on this private road and they cannot incur this expense. She stated they enjoy their well water and believe it to be superior quality. She indicated they are not interested in relinquishing their street to the City and are vehemently opposed to the project. She stated they believe the Council would be overstepping its bounds for which it was originally intended, and prayed the Council will make the right moral, ethical decision on behalf of the citizens who entrusted them to serve on their behalf. Eric Marshall, 7216 LaValle Drive Mr. Marshall stated if the project goes forward, everybody will be required to hook up to city water at a cost of approximately $15,000-$20,000. He stated he is not interested in hooking to city water and based on past history, it is an incremental step in eminent domain to increase the tax base in order to get federal funding. He asked the Council to remove LaValle Drive from this project. City Administrator Larson stated that Lavalle Drive is not proposed to be converted to a city street, but rather will be served by an easement on the back side of the property. He added the default is to use the easement the City already has on the back side. City Engineer Statz responded to the comment about hiring an independent appraiser for the project and stated they have done significant evaluation of the streets and have hired Braun Intertec to look at the soils. He indicated the Braun report contained similar suggestions with respect to street repairs. City Engineer Statz responded to the comments regarding 73rd and whether the road should have lasted longer and who should pay for it because others use that road. He stated that it may be worthwhile to give consideration to giving those residents a break because of the higher traffic volumes. He indicated that they further reviewed Peltier Lake Drive and it is their opinion that much of Peltier Lake Drive is in terrible shape and improvements are necessary and prudent. He replied to the question of sump pumps draining toward the street and stated on a number of projects he has been involved with, they included drain the and "T's" on each lot in the project in order to get the water out of the street. Tim Stevenson, 7289 Mill Road Mr. Stevenson stated since moving to Centerville, his property taxes have tripled. He indicated the current assessment calls for Mill Road being completely repaved and curbed with a bike path. He stated he asked the Council last time if it ordered a traffic study on Mill Road and Councilmember Paar replied "no." He stated he then asked why the City is doing this project and the response was that "people are complaining." He stated he Page8of13 City of Centerville City CounciUPublic Hearing Meeting Minutes May 1, 2008 felt that perception is different from the facts and he has never had a problem with speeders. At the earlier Council meeting, he urged the City to order a traffic study and asked for facts that show he should spend his money to widen this road. He stated that the response he received at that time was "it's not your money." He stated he strongly disagrees with that statement and added it is his money and other taxpayer's money. He stated he remains strongly opposed to the project until the City can prove to him that it is needed. Lori Harris, 7170 Peterson Trail Ms. Harris stated she serves on the Parks and Recreation Committee and wants to make Centerville a more beautiful place. She indicated this will happen by starting with the infrastructure of the City's streets and she felt it will have to happen sometime. She stated if one person in the community goes into foreclosure because they cannot afford to pay their assessment, then she believes the City will have made the wrong decision with respect to this project. She stated she has huge potholes in her street and she would like to see the project done, but felt it would be selfish on her part for anyone to have to scrape to have it done. Hatem Qamhieh, 7251 Clearwater Drive Mr. Qamhieh asked if the City should consider changing the scope of the project and asked that if the project is done, to make sure the City knows where the money is coming from and how much it is spending on each item. He stated it will be very important to stay within budget. Tina Scheller, 7267 Mill Road Ms. Scheller stated she appreciates all the time and effort that has been put into this project. She stated she agrees with everybody's comments and added they cannot afford the assessment. She stated they have never had a problem with traffic on Mill Road and did not feel the bike path that is proposed is necessary and they have done fine without it. She asked why the City is forcing residents to hook up to city water. She did not feel residents have been given a valid or straightforward answer as to why it is important to hookup to city water. She stated the only thing she has heard that makes sense is that we have a water tower that the City needs to pay for. She expressed concern that in 2006, Centerville was ranked #1 as having the highest effective tax rate and this is bad testimony on what kind of spending has been going on the City. She stated she would appreciate it if the Council would back off the project, give it some time, reconsider it, and see what is really necessary to be done. Tim Schwe~pe, 7249 Centerville Road Mr. Schweppe stated his road has been designated C1 full reconstruction. He indicated that in December 2004, they were assessed $4,300 to add the water main stump to their curb. He asked if the City really has the infrastructure in place for all the well connections as proposed. He stated he reviewed a report done by the City with Rice Creek Watershed where there was a checkbox that asked if the City's water system is adequate to meet future demands, and the answer was "no," and there was a need for a Page 9 of 13 City of Centerville City CounciUPublic Hearing Meeting Minutes May 1, 2008 third well. He indicated this is not part of the City's comprehensive plan and he is concerned that the City cannot supply water to all people. He indicated that everyone on his street has petitioned against this project and added they have good elevation, good curbs, they have never had an overlay, and their road is not distressed to need full reconstruction. He stated this project is very comprehensive and includes a lot of extra measures to remove water saturation under the road with drain tile. He expressed concern about laying drain the under roads and diverting water to rain gardens because it means you are just redistributing water. He asked that the Council reconsider or scale down the project. John Fischbach, 1684 Lakeland Circle Mr. Fischbach stated he is not affected by the project but there is a stake in his yard and asked what this stake is for. He stated he read in the Citizen that the Beard Group is slowing down its project due to economic reasons because they cannot find anyone to go in the anchor store and the only thing they think they can get approved is apartments. He indicated as a citizen of Centerville, the City needs to think about what it is doing. He asked if the comment is true regarding state or federal funding and the requirement that funding will kick in when the population reaches 5,000 residents. He stated from what he has heard, this might be another indicator that the project is too big for this size community and asked the Council to reconsider the project. City Administrator Larson stated when the population reaches 5,000 or above, a city qualifies for state aid for road construction on designated roads; those funds come from the state gas tax. City Engineer Statz responded to the question about a traffic study and stated that a traffic study has not been performed. He added a traffic study would not show whether there is a danger to pedestrians and speeding is not the only thing that affects safety; a lot of times, it is the interaction and volume of people using the roadway as a bikeway and/or pedestrian lane. He replied to the question about the City's infrastructure and third well by stating there is a third well the City is looking at which will be implemented if the demand for water reaches the point where a third well is needed. He added the City has two wells in place and an interconnection with Lino Lakes and at this point, the City's wells supply water to the system adequately and will do so for the foreseeable future. He indicated the water tower is sized for a population over 5,000 people, including all new development and the downtown redevelopment. He replied to Mr. Fischbach's question regarding the stake in his yard by stating the stake is for survey purposes only and does not affect him. City Administrator Larson stated the water tower is paid for. He added one of the concerns mentioned during this process is whether the City has a system designed to serve all of the City with only those paying a user charge paying for that system. He indicated that this was one of the goals of having everybody hooked up to the system. Page 10 of 13 City of Centerville City CounciUPublic Hearing Meeting Minutes May 1, 2008 Pam Kennedy, 1983 73rd Street Ms. Kennedy stated that City Administrator Larson and City Engineer Statz previously stated if the cost of the project goes up, her assessment goes up as well; however, this increase will not be linked to any increase in property valuation, which is a violation of Minnesota Statutes Section 429 which states that property owners can only be assessed the amount of increase to their property value. She stated that 73rd Street failed prematurely and as the original owner of her house, they paid for the road and are now being asked to pay again because of inadequacies. She asked what source or sources are being used to determine the amount of property value increase due to the road construction. She indicated that in 2003, they were asked if they wanted the road fixed, and asked why residents are not being asked now. She asked why citizens don't have a vote in the matter. Joe Steele, 6926 Sumac Court Mr. Steele stated the water system from Centerville to Dupree south does not include a water main and this is an area where one of the Councilmembers lives. He stated he felt this represents a conflict of interest and asked why they are being required to hook up to water but Councilmember Vickers is not. He stated he heard that if the water goes in, his insurance rates will go down; his agent informed him his rates would not change as a result of hooking to city water. He stated nothing is being done in the City with respect to routine maintenance and he has previously expressed concerns about his road and a collapsed storm sewer. Laura Powers, 7173 Brian Ms. Powers stated she was troubled by the lack of respect shown by the Council to the community. She stated this is the most turnout she has ever seen at a Council meeting and the atmosphere feels like us versus them and the small town feeling has long since gone. She stated that common sense needs to be looked at with respectfulness from both sides in order to make decisions effectively that result in the most amount of change for a majority of people with the least amount of problems for them. She stated the City has a budget for maintenance of roads as well as a pavement plan which needs to be followed. Bob Mehsikhomer, 1890 Center Street Mr. Mehsikhomer stated at the first public meeting, he asked for the report on why Center Street required major reconstruction because he did not feel it needed it. He stated he did not receive any report from staff and instead received atwo-paragraph letter that indicated the road was going to be done and water was coming in. He stated he later learned that the City was going to put a bike path next to his deck and he is vehemently opposed to this. He asked Councilmember Vickers if the City is going to require that she hookup to City water. City Engineer Statz clarified that the County Road 14 project is a county project and the City had no choice regarding which properties were taken as part of that project. He stated the timing of the County Road 14 project in relation to the 2009 street project as proposed calls for the contractor to work from west to east and to get to Dupre by the end of fall. He added the specifications allow that the ancillary roads to 73rd will be done last Page 11 of 13 City of Centerville City CounciUPublic Hearing Meeting Minutes May 1, 2008 so the County Road 14 project will be wrapped up in time to avoid detour traffic; he added staff will work to make sure those issues are addressed. He noted that County Road 14 will be open to traffic throughout construction between downtown and 35E. Stephanie Hasiak, 6994 Centerville Road Ms. Hasiak stated she has well water and believes it is her constitutional right if she wants to keep well water. She stated her taxes are $4,400 and her value has dropped. She stated she felt this public hearing was just a formality and the City cannot get away with it. She added the City is taking away citizen's rights and trespassing. Bonnie Larson, 1724 Peltier Lake Drive Ms. Larson stated the road issues have a long history and Peltier Lake Drive's previous reconstruction resulted in a lawsuit over issues with the way the assessments were done. She stated she did not understand the adverse relationship with the residents and added this is not fun for anybody. She challenged the City to take care of the roads instead of waiting until they are dangerous and then redoing them. She stated the City needs to learn how to manage the roads in the most economical way possible and suggested having one or two maintenance crews in the City checking the roads on a regular basis. She stated she would like to see if the Council and the residents can find a way to forget the sour grapes and to do what needs to be done in the most economical way possible. She indicated it is important to keep in mind that many people are not going to be able to stay if they have to look forward to a future equal to the past. She stated when you look at the share of the road that residents will pay as taxpayers, then the assessments, water hookup charges, etc., it is an unbelievable amount of money. Barb Shaw, 1881 Prairie Drive Ms. Shaw stated for the record, she does not feel her street needs to be reconstructed. She stated that most everyone agrees that economically, now is not the time to undertake this project. She stated she would like to see the Council take a step back, take the time, and cultivate a scenario where people tell the Council what they want and not what they don't want. Mayor Capra expressed the Council's thanks to everybody in attendance this evening. She stated over the next two Council worksessions, the Council will review the comments and documentation received. She invited anyone interested to attend the worksessions, but noted that the Council will not take public comment at those worksessions. She stated the Council will likely make a decision on the scope of the project by the end of May or first part of June. She explained at that point, the Council would put the project out for plans and specs and when the Council receives the bids, a decision will be made to determine if the project falls within the dollar amount projected for the project. Mayor Capra explained that with respect to 73rd Street, this was a 2004 street project and the reason that residents were asked at that time was that the road construction had changed, so the Council could not go forward with the project without having the approval of the affected residents. Page 12 of 13 City of Centerville City CounciUPublic Hearing Meeting Minutes May 1, 2008 Pam Kennedy, 1983 73rd Street Ms. Kennedy stated this road was removed from the 2003-2004 project because the road failed at that time. She asked why her road was not done in 2004 when it would have cost $3,000, versus $5,000 under the current project. Mayor Capra replied that not all citizens agreed to the 2003-2004 project. Ms. Kennedy asked why citizens are not able to vote on the current project. City Engineer Statz stated the assessment amount for the 2004 project on 73rd Street was higher than contained in the notice; therefore, in order to assess those residents, the City had to cancel that portion of the project because once assessment notices go out with a hearing date, that amount is set in stone. He added in a statutory city such as Centerville, it is a representative democracy and the Council has the authority to determine the amount of an assessment. Motion by Council Member Lee, seconded by Council Member Broussard-Vickers, to close the public hearing. All in favor. Motion carried unanimously. III. ADJOURNMENT Mayor Capra adjourned the meeting at 9:26 p.m. Transcribed by: Barbara Hughes, Recording Secretary Timesaver Off Site Secretarial, Inc. Page 13 of 13