MONROE - Property owners along 16th Avenue haven't been relieved of assessments for street reconstruction, yet.
The Board of Public Works (BPW) and the Finance and Taxation Committee met jointly Tuesday night to assess the situation.
Aldermen on several committees will begin looking at removing the assessments, but also try to find a long-term solution to fund future street improvement projects, possibly with a transportation utility.
To start that process, members in the joint meeting authorized City Attorney Rex Ewald to research the possibilities of creating a transportation utility.
Mark Coplien, a member of both the board and the committee, was ready to make a motion to change how the 16th Avenue project would be funded but couldn't, because the agenda wording limited aldermen to "preliminary discussion."
He will get another opportunity in two weeks when the issue of 16th Avenue assessments comes to the BPW and the committee individually.
Coplien summed up the general consensus of members.
"I agree the street (improvements) should be coming out of general fund. Storm water should cover curb and gutter. It doesn't sound like the sidewalks should be much of an issue to deal with now," he said.
Engineering Supervisor Al Gerber said there were very few sidewalks that needed replacement in the project.
"We've got old council members, we've got new council members, we get new ideas. Sooner or later things change.
"We're going to change policy; we're going to change things," Coplien said. "We're going to get criticism; don't we anyway? You're never going to get the 100 percent, and we all know it."
Coplien told the public to "Trust us," at a public hearing May 6, when the City Council promised to make changes to the city's policy of assessing property owners for street reconstruction. More than 40 property owners had crowded the council room at City Hall, asking the council to reconsider how streets were funded.
Removing 16th Avenue assessments and funding the project out of the general fund would be the choice of the BPW and committee members. The 16th Avenue project is the only one for which property owners are being assessed in the city's 2008 plan for street improvements. The street construction budget will fall $20,000 short without the assessments.
"We'll cover that with some savings," said Keith Ingwell, president of the BPW.
Bids for the projects have been coming in under budget, according to Public Works Director Kelly Finkenbinder.
"Whatever decision you arrive at, you're going to have to defend that position," Mayor Ron Marsh told the members at the meeting. "It's not a favorable decision to all parties involved within our community. To justify it, you're going to have to produce some results. Whatever you decide to do, it has to be in the best interest of everybody involved."
But aldermen were not put off by Marsh's words.
"It's on our backs," Ingwell said.
Alderman Chuck Koch spoke against the assessment policy for the first time Tuesday night.
"I haven't been comfortable with it (special assessments) in years past, but it's always been the policy of the city, so I've just never expressed my personal feelings on it," he said.
Koch said he feels street assessments should not be paid by property owners; money should come out of the general fund.
Figuring out how the budget is going to be adjusted to cover the 16th Avenue project is a matter to be taken up at meetings in two weeks.
Alderman Thurston Hanson said he hopes department heads will cooperate in having "firm" numbers to show where money to cover the costs will come from.
Finkenbinder told aldermen that how the budget is adjusted this year could create a challenge next year. He said 16th Avenue was an immediate concern, whether to assess was a short-term concern and the possibility of a transportation utility was a long-term concern.
"Whatever is decided for the short-term may need to carry over into the long-term, until something other than a transportation utility comes up, if need be," Finkenbinder said.
"We should have a good feeling by the time budget time comes up anyway, whether the transportation utility will work or not," Coplien said.
The Board of Public Works (BPW) and the Finance and Taxation Committee met jointly Tuesday night to assess the situation.
Aldermen on several committees will begin looking at removing the assessments, but also try to find a long-term solution to fund future street improvement projects, possibly with a transportation utility.
To start that process, members in the joint meeting authorized City Attorney Rex Ewald to research the possibilities of creating a transportation utility.
Mark Coplien, a member of both the board and the committee, was ready to make a motion to change how the 16th Avenue project would be funded but couldn't, because the agenda wording limited aldermen to "preliminary discussion."
He will get another opportunity in two weeks when the issue of 16th Avenue assessments comes to the BPW and the committee individually.
Coplien summed up the general consensus of members.
"I agree the street (improvements) should be coming out of general fund. Storm water should cover curb and gutter. It doesn't sound like the sidewalks should be much of an issue to deal with now," he said.
Engineering Supervisor Al Gerber said there were very few sidewalks that needed replacement in the project.
"We've got old council members, we've got new council members, we get new ideas. Sooner or later things change.
"We're going to change policy; we're going to change things," Coplien said. "We're going to get criticism; don't we anyway? You're never going to get the 100 percent, and we all know it."
Coplien told the public to "Trust us," at a public hearing May 6, when the City Council promised to make changes to the city's policy of assessing property owners for street reconstruction. More than 40 property owners had crowded the council room at City Hall, asking the council to reconsider how streets were funded.
Removing 16th Avenue assessments and funding the project out of the general fund would be the choice of the BPW and committee members. The 16th Avenue project is the only one for which property owners are being assessed in the city's 2008 plan for street improvements. The street construction budget will fall $20,000 short without the assessments.
"We'll cover that with some savings," said Keith Ingwell, president of the BPW.
Bids for the projects have been coming in under budget, according to Public Works Director Kelly Finkenbinder.
"Whatever decision you arrive at, you're going to have to defend that position," Mayor Ron Marsh told the members at the meeting. "It's not a favorable decision to all parties involved within our community. To justify it, you're going to have to produce some results. Whatever you decide to do, it has to be in the best interest of everybody involved."
But aldermen were not put off by Marsh's words.
"It's on our backs," Ingwell said.
Alderman Chuck Koch spoke against the assessment policy for the first time Tuesday night.
"I haven't been comfortable with it (special assessments) in years past, but it's always been the policy of the city, so I've just never expressed my personal feelings on it," he said.
Koch said he feels street assessments should not be paid by property owners; money should come out of the general fund.
Figuring out how the budget is going to be adjusted to cover the 16th Avenue project is a matter to be taken up at meetings in two weeks.
Alderman Thurston Hanson said he hopes department heads will cooperate in having "firm" numbers to show where money to cover the costs will come from.
Finkenbinder told aldermen that how the budget is adjusted this year could create a challenge next year. He said 16th Avenue was an immediate concern, whether to assess was a short-term concern and the possibility of a transportation utility was a long-term concern.
"Whatever is decided for the short-term may need to carry over into the long-term, until something other than a transportation utility comes up, if need be," Finkenbinder said.
"We should have a good feeling by the time budget time comes up anyway, whether the transportation utility will work or not," Coplien said.