The Hastings City Council on Monday night approved a resolution to adopt assessments to property owners for the 2024 Neighborhood Infrastructure Improvements.
The project was previously approved by the council in March. It includes street and utility improvements on six city streets, ranging from street reclamation to full street and utility reconstruction. Also, existing paved trails in Pleasant Park will be rebuilt as part of the project, and a new paved trail will extend to Pleasant Drive.
Streets scheduled for reconstruction are 17th Street, Brittany Road and Highland Drive from 15th Street to 17th Street. Streets where pavement will be reclaimed are 21st Street, Brooke Lane, Brooke Court and Highland Drive from 17th Street to its south end.
Under the plan, property owners on the streets will pay a special assessment based on a determination of much the new street will increase their property value. For streets that are being reconstructed, the special assessment is $7,650 per lot. The assessment for reclaim streets is $6,750 per lot.
“All properties in the project area that are abutting an improved street are proposed to be assessed in accordance with City Ordinance. The assessment rates are based on the estimated special benefit to the assessed properties accruing from the constructed improvements. A certified property appraiser was hired to determine the estimated special benefit range for each property type within the proposed project area based on the improvement project. The low end of this range was taken and then further reduced to 90% of that value to establish assessment rates for each lot,” a memo to the city council from Public Works Director/City Engineer Ryan Stempski states.
A total of $1,114,650 will be rained through the special assessments to help fund the $4.2 million project. The city will issue bonds to pay for the project. The special assessment revenue will pay a portion of the $2.3 million in bonding for street work. The city’s utility department will issue bonds estimated at $1,910,000.
Special assessments are payable in equal annual installments over 10 years, the first with the first property tax installment in 2025 at an interest rate of 1.5 percent annually. Residents can also pay the assessment ahead of time.
In other city council business:
HASTINGS ARENA ROOF HATCH – The city council approved a change order with Apex Facility Solutions, which is managing renovations at the Hastings Civic Arena. Work includes a new roof over the west rink that will have solar panels installed on it, as well as a new refrigeration system.
The change order, in the amount of $19,170.89, will allow for construction of a roof hatch to allow for easy access to the roof.
“During a preconstruction contractor meeting for the Civic Arena refrigeration and roofing project, an idea was posed to add a permanent, user friendly roof hatch and steps for access to the roof areas of the Civic Arena. Staff at Apex have been working to solicit pricing information from our roofing contractor and have supplied that to the city,” Parks & Recreation Director Chris Jenkins wrote in a memorandum to the city council. “A permanent hatch and steps will allow staff and contractors safe and consistent access to the roofs of the Civic Arena. This will be even more important after a solar array is added to the west rink roof. City staff agree this is an important upgrade and is most efficient to include in the roofing contract.”
ARBOR DAY – The council read a proclamation declared Friday, April 19 as Arbor Day “to encourage and educate Hastings residents in tree planting, developing civic pride and a sense of community.” Arbor Day will be marked that day from 1:30-2:30 p.m. at Featherstone Ponding Basin, where 10-12 trees will be planted, mulched and watered.
The Arbor Day eent is partially sponsored by Dakota Electric Association and Hoffman and McNamara.
The proclamation noted, “The City of Hastings has been recognized as a Tree City USA community by the National Arbor Day Foundation since 1997, celebrating 27 years.”
DOWNTOWN BEAUTIFICATION BID – The city council approved a contract with Green Companies of Hastings “to perform beautification efforts in Downtown Hastings” this year. Included are planting and maintain all of the ground level planters and purchasing, installing and maintaining hanging flower baskets, as well as changing to winter décor later this year.
Green Companies’ bid of $20,715 was the lower of two bids by $1,190.50.
The council also accepted a donation of $2,500 from the Hastings Downtown Business Association to help pay for downtown planters.
FIELD DONATIONS – The Hastings Youth Athletic Association donated $15,000 and the Raider Nation Youth Baseball organization donated $10,000 to the city’s Parks & Recreation Department, designating the funds be used for dugouts and baseball field renovations.
CANNABIS PERMIT – The council approved a resolution approving a new Cannabis Product Retail License for H Tobacco, 1310 Vermillion St. The license allows for the sale of “low potency products” containing .3% or less of THC. Final approval of the license is contingent upon the city receiving all necessary documents and a Hastings Police Department background investigation, by city ordinance.
