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Thursday, September 02, 2010
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| 10/29/2009 8:35:00 AM | Email this article • Print this article | Wyoming City Council
Neighborhood to continue paying its own streetlight bill, as motion dies on tie vote; special budget meetings scheduled Octobter 26 and November 30
BY DENISE MARTIN
Wyoming Council voted 2-2 with Russell Goudge abstaining last week, in effect killing a motion to "absorb" a neighborhood's private streetlighting costs into the city budget.
Council member Goudge was advised by Mark Vierling, city attorney, that he had a conflict and shouldn't vote or make the motion because action could result in direct monetary benefit to him.
The issue was that the Bridgewater neighborhood, where Goudge resides, has been paying about $1,800 annually for a private streetlight system. The development was consolidated into the city of Wyoming, along with the rest of Wyoming Township, under an orderly annexation agreement. Goudge asked to have the streetlighting expenses reviewed, and said nobody else in the city gets billed for lighting costs and he felt the residents of his neighborhood were being treated unfairly.
This had been discussed a few months ago and action was postponed pending overall review of the city's streetlight budget. Last week Goudge asked somebody to make a motion to resurrect the action. Council member Linda Nanko-Yeager made the motion to have Bridgewater fees "absorbed" into the city expenditures and discussion began.
Mayor Sheldon Anderson and Council member Joe Zerwas opposed the request explaining that incoming township parcels are being taxed at a lesser rate than residents of the original city.
The annexation agreement doesn't spell out levels of municipal service that former township residents should expect for this reduced rate; but City Administrator Craig Mattson commented "an interpretation" of the two district taxing system could be that city services to the rural district might be restricted until 100 percent city tax rate is being charged (in five years).
Council member Roger Elmore stated he can't think of any other site in the former township where something like this exists and he felt that to treat everybody the same the city should accept the bill.
He added this doesn't set any precedent because this is an existing development, not a new project. Future amenities in as-yet-unbuilt neighborhoods can still be handled on merit.
Elmore agreed with Nanko-Yeager that there is nothing in the annexation agreement that addresses tying level of city services to tax rate.
Mayor Anderson said "...it has been give and take" on both urban and rural needs since consolidation and this neighborhood didn't have these lights "forced on them."
The bill for the lights will continue to be paid by the neighborhood.
In another consolidation related matter-- council adopted new job descriptions for two former township employees who have accepted duties in expanded or different posts that better suit city operations. One goes into records management for the police department and the other will be an office assistant/notary public.
In an effort to finalize budgeting and the levy for 2010 the city council will meet in special sessions October 26 at 5 p.m. and November 30 at 5 p.m. Wyoming holds its taxation public hearing on its levy to certify during its Dec. 1 council session.
The next regular city council meeting is Tuesday, Nov. 2, 7 p.m.
Police matters
Chief of Police Paul Hoppe got the okay from council to keep a vehicle the department has opted to retain from a DUI arrest forfeit.
A 2003 Impala now used by the police will be turned over to the city building department, eliminating charges for mileage for private car use to get to inspections.
Hoppe reminded council the Project HEAT program is again funding extra patrol duty on I-35. The police officers' time is covered in the state grant.
Four new reservists have begun orientation in the police reserve unit.
Calls for 2009 so far are 35 percent more than 2008 department calls for assistance statistics.
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