Alice Pickering
Wyoming Area Reporter

Wyoming City Council members voted on Tuesday, Dec. 19 to certify the 2007 property tax levy in the amount of $1,754,261.23.

Council also accepted the 2007 city budget in the amount of $1,844,736.23. The difference in what is budgeted and amounts paid are covered by non-levy revenue receipts.

There were no changes from the amounts presented at the Truth in Taxation hearing Dec. 4. The vote was 5-0.

City Administrator Craig Mattson said the levy increase was about 8.1 percent over the 2006 levy, because of adding money to cover the payment for a general obligation bond.

To date, payments on the bond have been made, but money for payments has come from non-levy revenue or surpluses.

The general operating fund portion of the budget is $1,642,572.23 and covers the costs of general government, municipal building, professional services, police and fire departments, streets, parks, library, and social service.

Reviewed by department, the costs and percentages for 2007 are; General government, $287,086 (17 percent); municipal building $30,000 (2 percent); police $646,574 (40 percent); social services, $7000 (0 percent); streets, $218,049 (13 percent); fire $222,420 (14 percent); library $30,000 (2 percent), and parks, $106,443 (6 percent).

Utility bills

Council also agreed to certify with Chisago County overdue utilities payments to 2007 property taxes. This means that the overdue amounts will be tacked on to the tax statements or mortgage escrow payments in 2007.

These are not considered deductions for income tax purposes as property taxes are.

Residents on the original list owed the city in aggregate more than $58,000. Many have contacted the city, arranging to pay the bill in a lump sum or told the city to certify their balances owed and the amounts will be collected with 2007 property taxes.

The total amount which remains to be collected is about $39,000.

Of that amount, Gary Menne, newly-elected council member, owes nearly $3200. Contacted about this, Menne revealed his motivation for non-payment of this utility bill.

Menne said he has an ongoing battle and dispute with the city about drainage concerns.

The action is his protest about what he believes is the city's responsibility for flooding, by directing the overflow from one of its water towers onto his land. Because of the design of other holding ponds and location of underground pipes west of his property, he claims water also comes into his land from that direction.

Until he gets the issue settled he believes he is entitled to this form of protest.

Former city engineers Mark Graham and Lee Elfering did not believe he had grounds for the complaint. Menne has had at least one meeting with Mattson and another is to be scheduled, where he will present documents and pictures which he believes support his claims that the city is at fault for part of the flooding of his former hay field.

Mattson, though new to the dispute, indicated that even if there is a disagreement about the drainage issue, payment of any uncontested bills should be paid until a final settlement is reached.

Recent changes in the city ordinance provide for two payment notices within a six-week period and the right to request a hearing. If there is no payment and no request for a hearing, service will shut off after charges have been due for at least 90 days.

Top of Page