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DISCUSSION REGARDING SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS Commissioner Scurlock believed that most probably each Commissioner has received phone calls the same as he has regarding the proposed 12th Street Water Service Project. This particular project, phase I, is different in that it is not an 100% voluntary situation; the assessments also have changed one time, and he believed there is considerable confusion in the community as to what is happening. This project covers a rather large and varied area from 8th St. to 12th St. and from 43rd Avenue to 27th Avenue, and the overriding concern is how am I going to pay for this and in what period of time. Commissioner Scurlock felt that we need to do something about an easy payment plan, and he would suggest an increased effort be made to clear all this up. Administrator Chandler confirmed that this is a large area, which includes lots of an acre as well as much smaller lots, and it is the first to be done other than through the petition process. Commissioners agreed they had a problem with the assess- ments, the inequities, and finding a solution, and Commissioner Scurlock emphasized the importance of being consistent in what we are communicating. Utilities Director Pinto wished to point out that the method of assessment is more important to the person being assessed than to Utilities. They want to do what is most equitable to the people, and he felt what we may wish to do is have a workshop on the assessments themselves, not the assessment procedure, so that we can all get tuned in to the direction we want to take. He has heard the concerns, and noted that when you look at them on an individual basis, many of them sound logical, but when you keep applying them across the board, there are other inequities that show up. He, therefore, wanted to be sure we are all on the same wave length. Administrator Chandler pointed out that the hearing on this project is next Tuesday, and we would need a workshop before then. Discussion ensued as to this project being driven by the Comprehensive Plan; assessment by square footage as opposed to front footage or the ERU approach, or possibly a combination approach; the possibility of an overall formula to be applied to future projects; the fact that this is only the first phase of the projects and other phases may not have the same configuration, etc. Director Pinto commented that although this project is driven by the Comp Plan, there are a lot of people out there who � ,9Upa It 1991 41 BOOK FACE ! d J