The City of Carroll is preparing for extensive $3 to $4 million road reconstruction on Adams Street. They recently held a workshop to discuss the possibility of utilizing special assessments. Assessments are used to help cover a portion of the costs associated with the full replacement of the roadway as well as any repairs or replacements that may need to be done on sewer mains and utility lines. Christine Stone with Ahlers and Cooney explains what a special assessment is and how it impacts the residents on the construction route.
Special assessments follow the deed on the property and their owners could file a legal challenge during the process.
McClure Engineering Company is working on the preliminary design and cost estimates for the project. CEO, Terry Lutz, explains the major challenges.
Lutz says ultimately the property owners benefit from the work done, whether it is the road, the updating of utilities or even the reworking of a driveway approach. This type of work, he says, allows the city to give the owner the option of having it added to the project with the cost allocated to the special assessment and paid back over the traditionally designated 10-to-15-year period. Lutz points out that other funding options for this type of work are very limited. He urges the city to take a hard look at the benefits and detriments of a special assessment as this can set the tone for future projects and have long-term policy impacts. The council will be holding another workshop on this at their next meeting, Monday, Dec. 13. Other aspects of the project and questions that will be brought to the council in the near future were also discussed and those will be reported in an upcoming newscast. The full audio of the special assessment discussion can be found included below.
