City of Pittsfield holding truth and taxation meeting
PROTECTED CONTENT
If you’re a current subscriber, log in below. If you would like to subscribe, please click the subscribe tab above.
Username and Password Help
Please enter your email and we will send you a password reset link.
By BETH ZUMWALT
State law dictates that if a government entity raises its tax levy more than five percent, it must hold what is called a Truth and Taxation hearing, a time for tax payers to ask questions or express concerns about an increase. If an increase is under the five percent, no hearing is required.
It was announced at the May 7 Pittsfield City Council meeting, no such meeting has ever been held. Not under this administration or any one over the past several years.
The council has decided to have one every year, whether or not they are increasing the levy.
“We are going to let people come in and ask questions,” Mendenhall said. “We can explain what we are levying and for what area.”
In the meantime, the city will levy for insurance, the park district, audit expense and the fire department.
“Those have all been taken out of the general fund before,” Mendenhall said. “By giving them their own line item, we can use the general fund for other projects, like street repairs and infrastructure. “
Mendenhall said in levying for all of those entities that have not been levied for before, a property owner could see a 10 percent increase in their property tax bill.
“A house worth $150,000 should see approximately a $28 increase in their tax bill,” Mendenhall said. “We won’t levy anymore than we have too. It may not even be 10 percent.”
All council members agreed no one wanted to raise taxes, but in lieu of the fact the levy has not increased in several years and this will free up money for much needed projects, the vote was unanimous to raise the levy and hold the hearing.
The meeting will be May 28. The time will be announced later.
Johnson Mobile Veterinary will move its location from the Duke Auction parking lot to the Pittsfield City Dog Park in King Park, They will need to purchase a permit. The service is in Pittsfield Monday’s and according to Mendenhall, they see an average of 15 dogs per visit.
The council heard a request from the Cardinal Into have a pour liquor license. The matter was refereed to the Mayor, who is the city liquor commissioner.
Property on West Adams was approved to allow Square 1848 to sell property it purchased from the city of Pittsfield several years ago. The property was owned by the city of Pittsfield, who had placed a lien on the property after the former Higbee school became a danger and an eyesore. The city then sold the property to Jonas Petty, the owner of Square 1848, who planned to build a retirement village on the property.
Two years ago, Petty asked permission to sell the north half to a neighbor and that sale was approved. Petty downsized his plans and sold that portion of the property. The council also had to approve that transaction.
According to information, the property is now being sold to an unnamed party, who plans to build two duplexes on the property. The duplex will be build on the east and west sides of the lot and will face one another.
Damon Plumbing was the only bidder on doing the work on the city hall expansion. The bid came in $8,000 under estimate.
It was reported there is still a problem with people exiting the Quail Ridge Subdivision not yielding to east bound drivers on Fair Street.
“They don’t even pretend to stop,” Bill Grimsley, alderman in that ward, said.
No action was taken, but the matter will be discussed at the next meeting.
Alderman Kevin Ketchum said he had been approached by several citizens about the hours at the burn pile. Other alderman added they, too, had been told the hours are very inconvenient for most people.
Currently, the burn pile is open the second and fourth Saturdays from 7 a.m. until noon.
“If Saturday is your day off and you get up and trim and cut grass, you probably are not done by noon,” Ketchum said.
The council agreed and the burn pile will be open every Saturday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Plans shaping up for lake concert
By BETH ZUMWALT
The concert, July 27 in the parking lot at the Pittsfield City Lake ball diamond, is shaping up.
“We have Confederate Railroad coming to play,” Gary Mendenhall, said. “We are looking for at least one opening act, maybe two.”
A price for admission has not been set yet nor has an actual time, although Mendenhall expects the start time to be around 6 p.m.
“We were lucky to be able to get $5,000 from the hotel-motel fund,” Mendenhall said.
Half of the proceeds from the event will go to the lake improvement fund and the other half to the Pittsfield Fire Department to use toward their new truck.
Confederate Railroad is best known for their song “Trashy Women,” but also had 20 other songs that received play time on the radio. Included are “Daddy Never Was the Cadillac Kind”, “Queen of Memphis”, “Jesus and Mama”, “Bill’s Laundromat Bar and Grill” and others.
Attendees are asked to bring lawn chairs. The softball bleachers will not be available.
