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Baxter hands its tax appeal chore to the county BAXTER CITY COUNCIL Staff Writer BAXTER - The Baxter City Council has relinquished its duties as the local Board of Appeal and Equalization concerning challenges of property assessments.
The council on Tuesday in a 2-1 vote approved transferring the appeal and equalization duties to the Crow Wing County Board.
"It would basically remove the city from the process," said City Administrator Gordon Heitke.
Voting in favor were council members Todd Holman and Rob Moser. Voting against was council member Jim Klein. Mayor Darrel Olson, a Crow Wing County assessor, abstained from voting. Council member Mark Cross was absent.
Holman made the motion to transfer the duties because the city council and city staff often lack the technical knowledge needed to address certain issues, meaning county staff was needed to answer questions at the city level anyway.
"For all practical purposes is seemed to me like a redundant process," Holman said.
Klein had made a motion to keep the Board of Appeals and Equalization at the local level but it died when it wasn't seconded. Klein said he didn't want to "abdicate" the city's power. He said the city has fairly dealt with issues brought to the board in the past.
"I'm a big fan of local government and bigger is not better, in my opinion," he said.
In other action, the council:
Approved an easement request from Great River Energy for a 100-foot easement through the Mississippi River Overlook park in southeast Baxter. The utility will pay the city $25,810 for the easement and will allow for Great River Energy to replace and upgrade an existing transmission line.
Approved purchasing 2.5 acres of land from Park Region Limited Partnership at a cost of $116,566 off Highway 371 south of College Road for the future location of a water tower.
Public Works Director Trevor Walter said the tower is needed to allow for maintenance of the city's other two water towers, to provide adequate storage for firefighting demand, for demand from the commercial districts and because the city is losing water pressure.
"We don't have the protection we need," Walter said.
A subcommittee evaluated seven sites in the area and the lowest price received was from Park Region Limited Partnership, which is owned by Long Range Planning Commissioner John Sullivan. Resident Bob Miller said the city should have hired someone from outside the city to appraise the properties and negotiate a site instead of letting the property owners submit prices. He also questioned if selecting Park Region Limited Partnership's proposal was a show of favoritism to Sullivan as a commissioner and whether the immediate need to select a site was because the seller needed the money.
Heitke said it was no secret the city was seeking site for a water tower and the process for sale prices was competitive.
Approved the transfer of $11,000 from drug and alcohol enforcement funds to capital equipment to purchase two video systems for new squad cars.
Heard a brief update from Rep. John Ward, DFL-Brainerd, on the upcoming legislative session, which will include an estimated $1 billion bonding bill. Ward also noted that he and Rep. Al Doty, DFL-Royalton, will host a public forum with DNR officials from 6-9 p.m. Wednesday at Northland Arboretum.
Was informed by Heitke that because of unseasonably warm weather the public works staff have nearly completed upgrades to Loren Thompson Park, with paving expected Wednesday.
Directed the Long Range Planning Commission to begin work on a land use map.
MATT ERICKSON may be reached at matt.erickson@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5857.
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