After a 30-minute discussion last week, the Clearwater City Council adopted the final assessments for the South East Area Street Improvement Project.

The council had tabled its vote in October because of issues with three properties in the project area. One of those involved the property at 340 Walnut Street where the owner  was asking for a separate agreement with the city to pay his assessment within six months because of a religious conflict with paying interest.

At last ast week’s meeting, Administrator Kevin Kress said in similar cases, other cities have required the property owners to go to their bank and get a loan, rather than have the city act as the bank. Then the property owner can pay the assessments before it goes on the tax roll and accrues interest.

The council felt that was the best option and agreed not to remove the property from the assesment list.

The second property involved a request for deferment at 925 Spring Street due to age (65 and over). Kress said that type of request typically comes before or during the public hearing. In this case, it happened after the hearing, but he said it looked like the council had discretion to approve or disapprove the deferment. Or they could send the issue to the city attorney for clarification.

If the property assessment was sent to the county under deferment, the interest would eventually have to be paid along with the assessment.

“It’s just a deferred assessment until the property is sold. Then it would be assessed,” said Kress. “You still send it down to the county and interest is accumulating. They’re not taxed on it (now). Eventually it’s going to be paid.”

The third property at 920 Spring Street had two issues. Owner Andrew Mevissen said his two lots were assessed separately even though they were listed under one address. He said he felt the assessment (over $12,000) would be lower if they were combined.

He also asked if his  assessment could be removed from the list while he looked into a potential civil action with the previous owner, who did not disclose that the property would have special assessments. Mevissen purchased the property last October and had no idea about the street project or future assessments.

Councilman Richard Petty said he wasn’t in favor of a deferment because of legal issues.

“It’s a civil matter between the two individuals,” he said. “The only reason I would be entertaining taking it off is if those lots are joined together.”

Councilman Wayne Kruchten agreed.

“If there’s a civil case you have to deal with it on your own,” he said to Mevissen.

The council approved two separate motions: removing the property for the age deferment while they sought legal advice; and approving the final assessment roll with the remaining properties.

Kress said the list will be sent to the county. Once the county processes the list, interest will begin to accrue. Property owners have the option to pay the assesments with no interest before then.

Other Business

In other action the council:

* Approved various liquor licenses for CTP Inc., American Legion Post 323, Brothers and One Inc., LTWIG Inc., Coborn’s, Whistling Rock, LLC, Kaddi Shack, LLC and Kwik Trip Inc.;

* Passed a resolution designating the Lions Pavilion as the new polling place for elections beginning in 2020.