11-13-1990 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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pp The petition from the neighborhood specifically requested the City undertake funding of their 2 lights, which ha%’e an annual cost of $325. Mr. Beich has indicated that the City charging the neighborhood was only an alternative discussed if the City would not fund out of the general fund. (He has additionally had felt Attachment C downplays the importance of the issue to the neighborhood. The intent in C was not to indicate it was insignificant to the neighborhood but that the neighborhood thinks their request for $200/year should be insignificant to the City and that therefore the City should move quickly to fund their lights. From the City perspective it encompasses much more than just their particular lights.) Attachment A outlines a procedure the City could use to recoup cost for street lights for any street lights that do not qualify as public lights. While the City has statutory authority under MS444.075 Subd 3 to specially assess delinquent water and sewer bills, the same authority does not exist for street lights. It does however under MS429.101 have the authority to specially assess for among other things street lights. Finally, owners can voluntarily agree to waive their right of appeal to a special assessment. Should a neighborhood that currently has a street light come forward as is the case with the Livingston/Lyric people that a petition would be signed by all the neighboring property owners agreeing to the charge being billed in the utility billing. This waiver would form a contract and they would agree to an assessment if not paid. (Copies would be filed in each address file.) The City Attorney is currently reviewing these applicable authorities. Bi1 ling - This billing amount would be placed on the quarterly billings for sewer and water billings for the people. The amount of these billings could either be set for each area or the City could have a schedule based on the type of light. The third way would be to charge one standard fee for lights per property owner regardless of type of light it is or number of properties served. However, from an administrative standpoint this would be easiest as determining a particular coverage and cost of a light on an individual basis may yield a multiple of rates. The intent of the City is to recover its cost for the street lights that are placed in and an average rate to accomplish that. It is estimated that generally the average cost of lights for those assessed before now would oe approximately $30.00 per year per homeowner being billed at rate of $8.00 per quarter. Assessment - People who fail to pay that rate could be assessed as a delinquent utility in the same manner as sewer and water. The question was raised as to what difference there was