Public Notice--Order of Hearing

NOTICE OF HEARING ON PROPOSED ASSESSMENT
Notice is hereby given that the Vernon Center City Council will meet at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, October
17, 2024, in the Vernon Center Fire Department meeting room, 200 Main Street W, to consider, and
possibly adopt, the proposed assessment for the 2022 Street and Utility Improvements, which includes
improvements on the following streets:
 1st Street (CSAH 10) from Oak Street to approximately 1,000 feet east of Railroad Street
 Poplar Street from Park Avenue N to East Street N
 Alley between Poplar Street and Main Street from West Street (US 169) to East Street
 Main Street from alley east of Park Avenue to Railroad Street
 Alley between Main Street and Kendall Street from West Street (US 169) to East Street
 Hilltop Street from cul-de-sac to entrance to Wastewater Treatment Facility (WWTF)
 Park Avenue from 1st Street (CSAH 10) to Main Street
 Oak Street from 1st Street (CSAH 10) to Grannis Street
 Centre Street from 1st Street (CSAH 10) to Kendall Street
 East Street from 1st Street (CSAH 10) to Hilltop Street
 Railroad Street from 1st Street (CSAH 10) to Main Street
 Various improvements for wastewater and water treatment
Improvements include but are not limited to construction of sanitary sewer, sanitary sewer services, water
main, water services, storm sewer, concrete curb and gutter, sidewalk, aggregate base, bituminous
surfacing, turf restoration, and miscellaneous items required to properly complete the improvements.
Adoption by the council of the proposed assessment may occur at the hearing. The area proposed to be
assessed for such improvements includes properties abutting such improvements, and non-abutting
properties that benefit from the improvements.
Such assessment is proposed to be payable in equal annual installments extending over a period of 20
years, the first of the installments to be payable on or before the first Monday in January 2025, and will
bear interest at a rate of 3.00 percent per annum from the date of the adoption of the assessment
resolution. To the first installment shall be added interest on the entire assessment from the date of the
assessment resolution, until December 31, 2025. To each subsequent installment when due shall be
added interest for one year on all unpaid installments.
You may at any time prior to certification of the assessment to the Blue Earth County Director of Taxpayer
Services, pay the entire assessment on such property to the office of the City Clerk/Treasurer. No interest
shall be charged if the entire assessment is paid within 30 days from the adoption of this assessment.
You may at any time thereafter, pay to the Blue Earth County Director of Taxpayer Services the entire
amount of the assessment remaining unpaid, with interest accrued to December 31 of the year in which
such payment is made. Such payment must be made before November 15 or interest will be charged
through December 31 of the succeeding year. If you decide not to prepay the assessment before the date
given above the rate of interest that will apply is 3.00 percent per year. The right to partially prepay the
assessment has been authorized by ordinance.
The proposed assessment roll is on file for public inspection at the City Clerk/Treasurer’s office. The total
cost of the project is $13,005,766.38. The total amount of the proposed assessment is $1,306,260.60.
Written or oral objections will be considered at the meeting. No appeal may be taken as to the amount of
an assessment unless a written objection signed by the affected property owner is filed with the City
Clerk/Treasurer prior to the assessment hearing or presented to the presiding officer at the hearing. The
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council may upon such notice consider any objection to the amount of a proposed individual assessment
at an adjourned meeting upon such further notice to the affected property owners as it deems advisable.
If an assessment is contested or there is an adjourned hearing, the following procedure will be followed:
1. The city will present its case first by calling witnesses who may testify by narrative or by
examination, and by the introduction of exhibits. After each witness has testified, the contesting
party will be allowed to ask questions. This procedure will be repeated with each witness until
neither side has further questions.
2. After the city has presented all its evidence, the objector may call witnesses or present such
testimony as the objector desires. The same procedure for questioning of the city's witnesses will
be followed with the objector’s witnesses.
3. The objector may be represented by counsel.
4. Minnesota rules of evidence will not be strictly applied; however, they may be considered and
argued to the council as to the weight of items of evidence or testimony presented to the council.
5. The entire proceedings will be recorded.
6. At the close of presentation of evidence, the objector may make a final presentation to the council
based on the evidence and the law. No new evidence may be presented at this point.
7. The council may adopt the proposed assessment at the hearing.
An owner may appeal an assessment to district court pursuant to Minn. Stat. § 429.081 by serving notice
of the appeal upon the mayor and city clerk of the city within 30 days after the adoption of the assessment
and filing such notice with the district court within ten days after service upon the mayor or clerk.
Under Minn. Stat. §§ 435.193 to 435.195, the council may, in its discretion, defer the payment of this
special assessment for any homestead property owned by a person 65 years of age or older for whom it
would be a hardship to make the payments. When deferment of the special assessment has been
granted and is terminated for any reason provided in that law, all amounts accumulated plus applicable
interest become due. Any assessed property owner meeting the requirements of this law and the policy
adopted under it may, within 30 days of the confirmation of the assessment, apply to the City
Clerk/Treasurer for the prescribed form for such deferral of payment of this special assessment on their
property.
Kara Hansen
City Clerk/Treasurer