Freeport City Council Regular Meeting Minutes - April 13, 2010

Approval of the agenda

Hennen moved and Goebel seconded a motion to approve the agenda. Discussion offered. Motion carried 5-0.

Awarding Highest Rental Bid For Freeport Industrial Park

Hetland brought forward the results from the sealed bid for renting out the unsold land in the Industrial Park to be mowed or harvested. The bid documents are on file for review, but the results were as follows: Steve Eveslage at $80 per acre per year, Chris Middendorf at $47.60 per acre per year, and Jim and Christine Hiltner at $28.35 per acre per year. Humbert moved and Goebel seconded a motion approving the highest bid to Steve Eveslage in the amount of $80 per acre per year. Discussion offered. Motion carried 5-0.

Local Board Of Appeal And Equalization Meeting

Worms opened the Annual Board of Appeal meeting at 7:00 P.M.

Jeff Johnson and Kathy Korte of the Stearns County Assessor’s Office also presented written information, which is also on file for review, that valuations in Freeport increased as follows:

• Residential/Seasonal range was 2-8% with an average of a 5% decrease,
• Agriculture rose -1% to 8% with an average increase of -4%.
• Johnson and Korte noted that the City’s total valuation is at $45,504,100 and thus the 1% amount is $455,041.00.
• Franklin Outdoor Advertising 54.72129.0062 and 54.72270.0015
  Dan Franklin thought that $30,000 per sign is too high in value and noted that a request to reduce the signs were county-wide. Johnson noted that other billboard companies had similar requests and that the law had changed in the last year but there was still clarification needed in determining the proper value to varying degrees of billboard ownership and rental situations. No change was made to the valuation and it was the Board’s belief that the County Assessor would be working in good faith with the various billboard owners to determine the fairest value depending on the situation on a County-wide basis.
• R & W, LLC R54.32270.0010 and Gerald Meyer R54.32270.0000
  Rodney Atkinson and Gerald Meyer properties were considered at the same time. They noted and it was discussed that the properly valuations appeared to be too high for Freeport. Johnson did explain that there were not close comparable sales for Freeport, but he used land values in Melrose and Albany. There several major dissimilarities made from those present with the comparison and the Board concurred. Atkinson and Meyer requested the valuation be brought down to the previous year’s amount. The Board decided, as with each case after all cases were heard, to reduce both properties to better reflect their value.
• Community Care R54.32079.0010.
  Al Beste and David Michaels were present on behalf of the Community Center and requested that the valuation be reduced for 2011 to the 2010 adjusted value. Beste and Johnson mentioned that they had previously discussed the organization’s legal non-profit classification and that through working through some accounting measures in advance with the County Assessor’s Office, Johnson was confident a better valuation can be established. The Board decided, as with each case after all cases were heard, to reduce the property to better reflect its value.
• John and Joyce Eveslage 54.32084.0000
  Joyce Eveslage was present and noted that the value was reduced, but felt it should be reduced further. No change was made to the valuation after it was generally felt the valuation from 2010 amount of $99,100 down to $66,400 was fair.
• Mark Middendorf (various parcels)
  Mark Middendorf brought forward his concerns for all of his properties in the Freeport Industrial Park. After an extensive review of all of his parcels with Jeff Johnson during the meeting, it was agreed upon by Johnson, Middendorf, and the Board that a fair value for each of the final contested properties would be approximately $.80 per square foot. The Board approved the reduction down to $.80 per square foot but in the spreadsheet approved at the meeting, PID 54.32129.0073 was accidentally omitted. It was the Board’s intention to reduce this parcel as well.

Norb Renneker was present and did not request a change in his property valuation, but complained that a person came by his property and did not notice his new deck, but noticed Beutz Radiator Service. No action was taken by the Board.

Freeport Development Properties

Kathy Korte brought forward a letter of appeal from Freeport Development, Inc. requesting a reduction on a number of properties, but specifically noted that one parcel was not reduced prior to notices being sent as it should have been reduced. It was suggested that Parcel ID 54.32269.0189 should be reduced from $38,200 to $31,500. The Board approved the suggested reduction of the property.

The total reduced in the meeting was $105,164.00 and the available remaining was $349,877.00 and the changes were as follows:

Recommended Changes 2011 Taxes Payable (2010)

Korte noted that on June 14, 2010 those not pleased with the decisions reach with the Local Board of Appeal and Equalization may attend a meeting at the County level.

Humbert moved and Ritter seconded a motion to approve the valuation adjustments as a whole as printed above and adjourn the annual Board of Appeal and Equalization meeting at 9:26 P.M. Discussion offered. Johnson noted that he was satisfied with the reasoning made to the valuation changes. Motion carried 5-0.

At 9:30 P.M. Worms moved and seconded a motion to adjourn the meeting. Motion carried 5-0.