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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1999/11/15 - ADMIN - Agenda Packets - City Council - Regular (2)AGENDA CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING ST. LOUIS PARK, MINNESOTA Council Chambers November 15, 1999 – 6:45 p.m. 1. Call to order 2. Public Hearing Public Hearing on the Levying of Assessments for Delinquent Fees and Charges This action adds to the responsible party’s 2000 property taxes any delinquent City utility charges and other fees Recommended Action: Mayor to close the public hearing. Motion to adopt resolution to assess delinquent water, sewer, refuse and other fees and charges. 3. Adjournment City of St. Louis Park Special City Council Meeting November 15, 1999 Public Hearing on the Levying of Assessments for Delinquent Fees and Charges This action adds to the responsible party’s 2000 property taxes any delinquent City utility charges and other fees Recommended Action: Mayor to close the public hearing. Motion to adopt resolution to assess delinquent water, sewer, refuse and other fees and charges. Background: The City Council is authorized to direct the assessment of delinquent utility accounts, nuisance abatements, false alarm fees, tree removal/injection and other miscellaneous charges after holding a public hearing. The public hearing is scheduled for Monday, November 15, 1999 at 6:45 p.m. in Council Chambers. The public hearing is similar to ones held for special assessments associated with improvements projects. Accounts remaining delinquent and unpaid on November 22, 1999 will be sent to the County for inclusion with next year’s property tax bill. This process follows the same schedule each fall and is developed from the County’s deadline for filing certified totals near the end of November. The Process Prior to the Hearing: In advance of the public hearing date, individual letters are mailed to property owners advising them of the assessment and their right to be heard before Council. Balances 60 days past due at the beginning of October are considered delinquent. Individuals had until Monday, November 8th to request a hearing. The City has received four requests for Public Hearings. Of the four requests, three have been resolved and staff expects the fourth to be resolved prior to the Council meeting. The majority of property owners pay their assessments prior to the deadline or allow the amounts to be certified to their property tax bills. There are several hundred property owners who do contact the City with questions about their outstanding balance, the certification process and/or payment arrangements. The entire process starting with the generation of the initial notices, (approximately 1,000 letters this year), through to transmittal of final numbers to the County continues to be a significant work project for staff. Analysis: The following delinquent charges for 1998 (with prior years comparisons) are eligible for assessment. The amounts shown do not include interest or the $25 per account administrative fee. 1999 1998 Dollars Variance between years (Percent) Utility Accounts $172,202 $204,158 $(31,956) (15.7)% Tree Removal/Injection 1,595 10,913 ( 9,318) (14.6)% Grass/Weed Cutting 1,620 761 859 212.9% False Alarm/Misc. 8,318 5,607 2,711 148.4% Total $183,735 $221,439 $(37,704) (17.03)% Attachments: Resolution Prepared by: Jean D. McGann, Director of Finance Approved by: Charles W. Meyer, City Manager RESOLUTION NO. 99-135 LEVYING ASSESSMENT AND REASSESSMENT FOR DELINQUENT UTLIITY ACCOUNTS, TREE REMOVAL/INJECTION, NUISANCE ABATEMENTS, FALSE ALARM FEES AND OTHER MISCELLANEOUS CHARGES WHEREAS, the City Council has heretofore determined by ordinance the rates and charges for water, sewer and refuse services of the City and has provided for the abatement of tree removal/injection, grass/weed cutting and other miscellaneous charges to a home or business shall be at the expense of the owners of the premises involved; and WHEREAS, all such sums become delinquent and assessable against the property served under Section 6-158, Section 6-206, Section 9-103, Section 9-110, Section 11-2004 of the St. Louis Park Ordinance Code and Minnesota Statutes 18.023, 18.271, 443 and 429; and WHEREAS, the City Clerk has prepared an assessment roll setting forth an assessment against each tract or parcel of land served by water, sewer and refuse services of the City of charged for the costs of abating grass/weed cutting, tree removal/injection, false alarm fees and other miscellaneous charges which remain unpaid on November 22, 1999; and NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of St. Louis Park that said assessment roll is hereby adopted and approved, and there is hereby levied and assessed or reassessed against each and every tract of land described therein an assessment in the amounts respectively therein abating grass/weed cutting, tree removal/injection, false alarm fees and other miscellaneous charges which remain unpaid on November 22, 1999; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Clerk is hereby authorized to deliver said assessment or reassessment roll to the Auditor of Hennepin county for collection of the assessment in the same manner as other municipal taxes are collected and payment thereof enforced with interest from the date of this resolution at the rate of seven point two four percent (7.24%) per annum. Reviewed for Administration: Adopted by the City Council November 15, 1999 City Manager Mayor Attest: City Clerk