July 14, 2023 at 11:58 a.m.
Chisago County board briefs...
In action last week the Chisago County Board:
~ Set a public hearing to consider a request from the City of North Branch looking for assistance in paying for work done in the city along public ditch #7. The county commissioners must convene as the “Ditch Authority” to spend money out of ditch revenues. The hearing is at the county government center at 6:30 p.m. July 19.
According to the request for a hearing North Branch claims to have spent $78,237 repairing Maple Street and the below street ditch conveyance (culvert etc.) when the system blew out early this summer.
County Administrator Chase Burnham said the situation is “unique” because Ditch 7 runs through an urban area. Along most other public ditches the tax is collected from large rural parcels that directly benefit from the water controls afforded by the ditch.
In other matters before the county commissioners:
~ The old jail and white stucco office building demolition bid was awarded to a St. Michael company.
Rachel Contracting LLC will clear the lots for $329,300. The old jail is a couple blocks from the Government Center in Center City, and was vacated when the new public safety facility opened. Testing for hazardous materials that might be disturbed by razing the structures has been done, consultant firm TKDA advised the Board. The county has not discussed the future use of what will be empty lakeshore lots, but the county has tried to sell the buildings and had no feasible offers.
~ The Board reviewed a notice informing the county about a potential Tax Increment Financing District in North Branch. The city is investigating establishing a TIF area for a 40-unit housing project south of Highway 95, west of Falcon at 386th. The city anticipates D and E Real Estate to start construction this fall. At least 20 percent of the units will be for persons at or below 50 percent of the area median income.
The TIF hearing in North Branch is July 25 at 7 p.m. The school district and any other taxation entities would also have gotten notice.
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