MONROE - Engineering Supervisor Al Gerber and Wastewater Treatment Plant Superintendent Gerald Ellefson came to Tuesday's informational meeting to answer questions about proposed 16th street reconstruction.
They ended up also being a sounding board for residents' concerns and complaints about the project.
About 20 residents or relatives of residents on 16th Avenue, six aldermen, Mayor Ron Marsh and City Administrator Mark Vahlsing attended the 16th Avenue reconstruction informational meeting to hear Gerber and Ellefson explain the process that 16th Avenue will undergo to bring it up to code.
After the meeting, several people said the explanations given were good, and although they complained about the way the city was going to pay for the work, they said they understood Gerber and Ellefson were not the ones to whom they could complain.
Twenty-three 16th Avenue property owners found out two weeks ago they were being assessed between $1,060 and $2,971 each for their portion of the reconstruction.
Gerber and Ellefson were "very good at answering the questions," said Deidre Kundert. "I feel bad for the people who work for the city."
She thanked Gerber at the end of the meeting for "taking the harassment."
Kundert was among many who had questions about the assessments that Gerber answered.
"That's what needs to be discussed at the public hearing on May 6," Gerber told them at the meeting.
"I knew we were going to pay for curb and gutter, but not half the street," Kundert said in an interview after the meeting.
Kundert, who is pregnant, and her husband live in the 700 block of 16th Avenue. They have been homeowners for less than two years. She said their assessment is almost $1,500.
Kundert said she was told the sewer system was the oldest main in the city, and knew it had to be replaced, but still she was at a loss as to why taxes she and others on the street paid were not being used for repair and upkeep of the street. She even told Gerber at the meeting she'd be willing to give up her terrace and front yard, which she said is "not used anyway," if the city would only cut back her assessment costs.
Ron Johnson, whose rental property on 16th Avenue was assessed the highest amount, $2,971, had the same opinion about the meeting.
"They answered the questions, and those were tough questions," he said. "It's not easy having their jobs. But we're talking about my dollar. It's not easy anymore, because I'm retired. My income doesn't go up."
Johnson's property lies along 16th Avenue, but faces Seventh Street.
"There's been no curb on that (Seventh Street) for 20 years," he said in an interview. He didn't know when Seventh Street would be upgraded. "That's the question."
One question Johnson had at the meeting was how long the new street would last. Gerber said the curbs and gutters would last about 40 years, while the asphalt would last about 20 to 25 years.
Several people said 16th Avenue was a business route to downtown.
"I don't object so much to having to pay (for the street project)," Harvey Kubly told Gerber during the meeting. "I just feel we were not being treated equally. It's a business route. If the city wants it to be a business route, the city needs to ante up a little more."
Kubly owns rental property on the street and was assessed $2,836, the second highest amount.
Daniel Page agreed treatment was not equal.
"Equal taxation for all," he said in an interview after the meeting. The problem he saw was that grant money from federal or state sources, not available this year for 16th Avenue, might be available in the next couple years, and residents along streets being repaired in those years would benefit.
"It's a recurring problem," Page said about residents complaining to the city about sidewalk and street assessments.
Page also was concerned about the timing of the assessment notices.
"Tell me a year ahead of time, so I have time to save," he said in the interview.
Page's wife, Teresa, was concerned about how some people in their neighborhood would be able to pay their assessment bills.
"(The city) needs to have some consideration for people with financial hardships," she said at the meeting.
Gerber told the group his estimated assessments were on the high side, taking into account inflation and the rising cost of fuel, among other things. Part of Gerber's planning for road reconstruction along with sewer and water replacement was to take advantage of digging for that project, to cut costs for road repairs. Sewer and water line replacements are being funded out of utilities rates.
Gerber said the informational meeting went "pretty good."
"They voiced their concerns," he said. "But they really need to go to the public hearing to voice their concerns about the assessment."
Aldermen attending the informational meeting were Mark Coplien, Jan Lefevre, Keith Ingwell, Dan Henke, Kent Kallembach and Chuck Schuringa.
The public hearing on the street reconstruction is at the 7:30 p.m. May 6 Monroe City Council meeting at the city hall.
They ended up also being a sounding board for residents' concerns and complaints about the project.
About 20 residents or relatives of residents on 16th Avenue, six aldermen, Mayor Ron Marsh and City Administrator Mark Vahlsing attended the 16th Avenue reconstruction informational meeting to hear Gerber and Ellefson explain the process that 16th Avenue will undergo to bring it up to code.
After the meeting, several people said the explanations given were good, and although they complained about the way the city was going to pay for the work, they said they understood Gerber and Ellefson were not the ones to whom they could complain.
Twenty-three 16th Avenue property owners found out two weeks ago they were being assessed between $1,060 and $2,971 each for their portion of the reconstruction.
Gerber and Ellefson were "very good at answering the questions," said Deidre Kundert. "I feel bad for the people who work for the city."
She thanked Gerber at the end of the meeting for "taking the harassment."
Kundert was among many who had questions about the assessments that Gerber answered.
"That's what needs to be discussed at the public hearing on May 6," Gerber told them at the meeting.
"I knew we were going to pay for curb and gutter, but not half the street," Kundert said in an interview after the meeting.
Kundert, who is pregnant, and her husband live in the 700 block of 16th Avenue. They have been homeowners for less than two years. She said their assessment is almost $1,500.
Kundert said she was told the sewer system was the oldest main in the city, and knew it had to be replaced, but still she was at a loss as to why taxes she and others on the street paid were not being used for repair and upkeep of the street. She even told Gerber at the meeting she'd be willing to give up her terrace and front yard, which she said is "not used anyway," if the city would only cut back her assessment costs.
Ron Johnson, whose rental property on 16th Avenue was assessed the highest amount, $2,971, had the same opinion about the meeting.
"They answered the questions, and those were tough questions," he said. "It's not easy having their jobs. But we're talking about my dollar. It's not easy anymore, because I'm retired. My income doesn't go up."
Johnson's property lies along 16th Avenue, but faces Seventh Street.
"There's been no curb on that (Seventh Street) for 20 years," he said in an interview. He didn't know when Seventh Street would be upgraded. "That's the question."
One question Johnson had at the meeting was how long the new street would last. Gerber said the curbs and gutters would last about 40 years, while the asphalt would last about 20 to 25 years.
Several people said 16th Avenue was a business route to downtown.
"I don't object so much to having to pay (for the street project)," Harvey Kubly told Gerber during the meeting. "I just feel we were not being treated equally. It's a business route. If the city wants it to be a business route, the city needs to ante up a little more."
Kubly owns rental property on the street and was assessed $2,836, the second highest amount.
Daniel Page agreed treatment was not equal.
"Equal taxation for all," he said in an interview after the meeting. The problem he saw was that grant money from federal or state sources, not available this year for 16th Avenue, might be available in the next couple years, and residents along streets being repaired in those years would benefit.
"It's a recurring problem," Page said about residents complaining to the city about sidewalk and street assessments.
Page also was concerned about the timing of the assessment notices.
"Tell me a year ahead of time, so I have time to save," he said in the interview.
Page's wife, Teresa, was concerned about how some people in their neighborhood would be able to pay their assessment bills.
"(The city) needs to have some consideration for people with financial hardships," she said at the meeting.
Gerber told the group his estimated assessments were on the high side, taking into account inflation and the rising cost of fuel, among other things. Part of Gerber's planning for road reconstruction along with sewer and water replacement was to take advantage of digging for that project, to cut costs for road repairs. Sewer and water line replacements are being funded out of utilities rates.
Gerber said the informational meeting went "pretty good."
"They voiced their concerns," he said. "But they really need to go to the public hearing to voice their concerns about the assessment."
Aldermen attending the informational meeting were Mark Coplien, Jan Lefevre, Keith Ingwell, Dan Henke, Kent Kallembach and Chuck Schuringa.
The public hearing on the street reconstruction is at the 7:30 p.m. May 6 Monroe City Council meeting at the city hall.