The Two Harbors City Council held a public hearing on Monday night, November 28th, to give area residents an opportunity to weigh in on the proposed assessments for the 2021 – 2022 Street Improvement Project. Joe Rhein, from Bolton & Menk was on hand once again to go over details of the project and to explain the manner in which individual assessment amounts were determined. Rhein reminded those in attendance that the city collaborated with Lake County which was doing their own street improvement project on local county roads. Since the projects abutted each other, this collaboration resulted in significant cost savings to both the city and to assessed property owners.
The scope of the project includes sanitary sewer replacement, water main replacement, full street reconstruction and sidewalks on both sides of all avenues connected with the project except the south side of 6th Avenue west of 8th Street.
In past Council meetings there has been concern expressed over turf work that was done poorly or was incomplete. Contracts for this work remain open and the City will make sure that all work is done satisfactorily before closing the contracts. Remedial work will be done, where necessary in the Spring of 2023.
The Feasibility Report, done before any work was started on this project, placed the cost at $4,102,970.00. The final cost to the City is $2,940,841.02, this due to the fact that the City and County were able to consolidate their efforts to get the work done. The final cost coming in at 28.3% lower than the estimated cost represents a significant savings to the citizens of Two Harbors. 80% of these costs are not part of the assessment but are picked up by the City. The total amount that property owners are being assessed comes to $581,141.00, or 19.76% of the total cost for the project.
A number of area residents were on hand to ask questions or raise concerns about their assessments. Rhein took time to address each specific concern, though perhaps not to the satisfaction of each property owner. There were 15 letters of disapproval from property owners that were read into the minutes. Rhein had form letters on hand so that residents who had not previously filed a letter of disapproval could put their concerns or objections in writing.
Any resident wishing to contest their assessment should have formalized their complaint in writing by the time that Monday night’s meeting was held. In addition, an appeal must be filed with the Lake County District Court within the next 30 days.
In other news, appointments were made to a number of boards and commissions. Local folks will be serving in the following capacities for three year terms.
Dan Murphy – Airport Commission.
Kathy Glenn – Edna G. Commission.
Bob Norlen – HRA. Dan Jones, Sandy Cable and Mick Nelson – Recreation Board.
Helen Hartley and Kathy Glenn – Public Arts & Beautification Commission.
Finally, the Council has scheduled a public hearing on the Capital Improvement Plan for Monday, December 12, 2022.
