Title
Resolution Levying Certain Delinquent Board Up, Clean Up, Vacant Property Inspection Fees, Housing Inspection Fees, and Fire Inspection Fees as Special Assessments and Ordering Collection Thereof
Memorandum
The Resolution before you is to levy certain Delinquent Board Up, Clean Up, Vacant Property Inspection fees, Housing Inspection fees, and Fire Inspection fees as special assessments as more particularly described in the attached Schedule A. This is a semi-annual process that provides a mechanism for the City to collect unpaid fees provided for in Chapters 29, 93, 101 and 105.
Chapter 13, Section 1:292 and Chapter 29, Section 2:72 specify the procedure for placement of these debts on the tax roll. Pursuant to these Chapters, owners of affected properties will be notified by first class mail on May 5th, 2020, that the fees, plus a 10% penalty, will be placed on the July 2020 tax roll unless paid by June 4th, 2020.
The amount to be submitted for the July 2020 tax roll is $181,070.42 (unless paid by June 4th, 2020); $199,177.45 with the 10% penalty fee.
Passage of this Resolution will permit the inclusion of these fees on the July 2020 tax roll thereby allowing the City to recover the cost of providing these services. Passage of this Resolution is recommended.
This Resolution typically includes Delinquent Utility fees. These delinquencies have been omitted due to the COVID-19 Novel Coronavirus crisis. Despite their omission from the Resolution, They will be eligible for inclusion on the December 2020 tax roll, if still unpaid at that time.
Staff
Prepared by: Michael J. Pettigrew, City Treasurer
Reviewed by: Matthew V. Horning, Interim Financial Services Area Administrator and CFO
Approved by: Tom Crawford, Interim City Administrator
Body
Whereas, There were unpaid charges for board up, clean up, vacant property inspection, fire inspection, and housing inspection (“Unpaid Fees”) within the City as of November 30th, 2019;
Whereas, All Unpaid Fees are chargeable against the properties identified in the attached Schedule A pursuant to ordinance, charter, or state law;
Whereas, The City’s Chief Financial Officer has verified that the Unpaid Fees were incurred by the City and that they are properly chargeable to the property listed on the attached Schedule A;
Whereas, The owners identified on the attached Schedule A have been billed in accordance with applicable law but, as of May 4th, 2020, all such bills remain unpaid; and
Whereas, The Chief Financial Officer hereby notifies the City Council of these facts and asks that the City Council levy special assessments against the properties identified in the attached schedule for the respective amounts identified therein;
RESOLVED, That the City Council determines that each expenditure identified in the attached Schedule A shall be charged in full and levied against the associated property (and owner thereof) identified on such Schedule A as a special assessment in accordance with Chapter 13, Section 1:292, Chapter 29, Section 2:72, and Charter Section 10.4;
RESOLVED, That the City Clerk or her designee is directed to give notice to the owners of the properties identified in Schedule A of this fact no later than May 5th, 2020, in accordance with Chapter 13, Section 1:292, Chapter 29, Section 2:72, and Charter Section 10.4; and
RESOLVED, If such special assessments remain unpaid as of June 4th, 2020, a ten percent penalty shall be charged in accordance with Chapter 13, Section 1:292, Chapter 29, Section 2:72, and Charter Section 10.4, and the Assessor and Treasurer are hereby directed to levy such special assessment amount plus penalty on Summer 2020 tax roll, and shall collect such amounts in the same manner as general City taxes.