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City Council Minutes Page 5 <br />June 15, 2020 <br />----------------------------- <br /> <br />Mayor Dietz opened the public hearing. <br /> <br />Bob Bergeth, 1797 Tipton Circle #111, indicated he has lived in his home for 20 <br />years and the continued tax increases are difficult enough without adding an <br />assessment and creating a larger tax increase. He stated the assessment being <br />proposed has no reasonableness and will drive people to move out of Elk River. He <br />indicated he is advocating for the Council to reduce expenses rather than keep <br />raising taxes with no tangible benefit for the residents. <br /> <br />th <br />Leonora Person, 13726 189 Avenue, believes the assessment is quite large and <br />their property is not receiving a benefit from the lake dredging. <br /> <br />th <br />Mark Person, 13726 189 Avenue, indicated he is against the drawdown and <br />doesn’t believe it should continue until litigation revolving around formation of the <br />lake district is finished. <br /> <br />th <br />Denise Cundif, 13742 189Avenue NW, expressed opposition to the drawdown <br />and questioned why the vote for the drawdown was one per property but the vote <br />on the lake district was two. <br /> <br />Ms. Erickson explained based on DNR requirements for the drawdown, all DNR <br />identified parcels are given one vote per parcel regardless of ownership. She <br />explained the lake district formation had different requirements and based on <br />ownership, some properties received two votes. <br /> <br />Ms. Person thought she recalled the city attorney saying the Council can remove <br />people from the OLID. <br /> <br />Attorney Beck stated the Council has authority to change boundaries but cannot <br />remove properties from the OLID. He noted changing the boundaries would require <br />a new procedure. He indicated assessments for the dredging project are determined <br />by the public improvement project the Council orders. He noted the draft <br />assessment roll tracks the properties that fall within OLID but they don’t have to be <br />the same. <br /> <br />Attorney Beck explained there would be no reason to delay action on the LORE <br />project and the drawdown because of the OLID litigation as they are separate issues <br />and separate processes. <br /> <br />Ms. Person questioned if the Council would take under advisement the assessment <br />versus a flat fee when the project does not benefit the property owners. She <br />questioned if larger properties pay a larger assessment. <br /> <br />Mr. Wisner explained commercial may pay a larger assessment, but residential <br />properties all pay the same assessment unless they are over 10 acres. <br /> <br /> <br />