By Dave Fidlin
Correspondent
After extensive debate in recent months, Whitewater officials have come to a consensus and are moving forward on a plan to specially assess property owners in limited instances as infrastructure improvements are made.
The Common Council on May 19 made a series of tweaks to the city’s nearly two decades old special assessment policy after an outcry early this year from a small group of residents who will be billed for work taking place this spring and summer.
The amendments, officials say, are an attempt toward striking a balance so the city’s capital improvements budget is not overburdened under current property tax levy limits and property owners are not hit with a large special assessment bill all at once.
As part of the revamped plan, improvements to sidewalks, steps and resurfacing near property owners’ driveway entrances will be funded through the city’s capital improvement budget, not by specially assessing property owners.
But special assessments will continue for more extensive projects, including laying and upgrading infrastructure associated with the city’s storm water and sanitary sewer system.
Questions about the city’s existing policy, adopted in 1996, were first aired in early March when residents along George Street balked at having to foot the bill for such improvements as curb and gutter installation.
The council continued to deliberate how future curb and gutter improvements should be funded and ultimately decided to not specially assess curb and gutter installation on existing streets. But any new developments in need of such infrastructure could still be subject to special assessments.
A so-called hardship provision within the policy has also been approved. It allows property owners to defer payments based on a particular income level.
Assistant City Manager Chris McDonell, who has been working with the council on the policy tweaks, said he and other city employees believe the hardship provision should have its limitations.
“Staff recommends not applying the hardship program to utility improvements,” McDonell said. “Utility extensions and improvements are driven by development or a resident choice to connect into the sanitary or water system.”
McDonell added, “A resident would not be assessed until hooked into the system.”
While the exact parameters of the hardship provision continue to be examined, McDonell in his most recent discussion with the council recommended implementing a system modeled after one in place in the City of Milton.
In Milton, low-income property owners can defer special assessment payments for up to five years.
While Whitewater’s special assessment policy was last amended in 1996, it has roots going back another decade. City officials in 1986 decided at the time to move forward with a plan to charge property owners as improvements are made.
The amendments to the special assessment policy were made last week on a 5-0 vote.
Council members Stephanie Abbott and Craig Stauffer were unable to attend the meeting.
