SPICER -- The Spicer City Council took no action on proposed street project assessments at the regular meeting Wednesday.
An overflow crowd filled the council chambers for public hearings on the city's 2006 interior street and Progress Circle projects.
The cost of the interior street work was $1,480,689. Under the proposed assessment, city residents living along the affected streets would pay 51 percent of the cost, or $750,739, and the city would pay 49 percent, or $729,950.
The total cost of the Progress Circle project was $233,362, with proposed assessments for 90 percent or $209,527 for property owners and the city paying 10 percent, or $23,835.
Pam Lindahl, who owns property at 134 Third Ave. that is assessed for $18,065, told the council members they were targeting the lowest-income residents and lowest property value area of the city. She read a statement from 17 property owners with many questions for the council, including the fairness of the assessments to all city residents.
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"The city should be using the general tax levy to pay for these improvements," she said.
Lindahl also told the council a group of citizens are in talks with a Willmar attorney to file a lawsuit opposing the assessments.
Council member Marlys Larsen advocated all citizens sharing the cost of the street projects. "It isn't only the person who lives in the house adjoining the street that uses the street," she said.
The city can't assess all residents for street projects because it has completed almost all of the necessary projects, said council member Troy Block. He noted that the city has only two major projects left. After that, he said, the city should start a fund and contribute enough money to it so that residents aren't assessed for the next street projects.
Mayor Bill Taylor asked the council members to delay action on the assessments until the Nov. 8 meeting so they can review the comments taken at the public hearing.
