The Grand Forks City Council's Service and Safety Committee forwarded some city construction projects with a warning that they could be complicated by a measure to end property taxes.
City Engineer Al Grasser at the committee's Tuesday meeting recommended moving forward on two special-assessment projects that the city is funding 80 percent of, but going slow other similar projects.
Initiated Measure 2 will ask voters statewide to decide in June if they want to eliminate property taxes. If passed, the measure could take away cities' ability to create special assessment projects, according to City Attorney Howard Swanson.
Grasser said it would make sense to delay accepting bids on projects that depend largely on special assessments until after the June 12 election.
But he would like to proceed with paving and street lights for part of Adams Drive and paving and sewers for BFM Drive before June. "If we hold all the projects until then, basically, we're going to lose the construction season," he said.
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Township bridge
Committee members also heard from Grand Forks Township residents who want to build a bridge on a portion of Shadyridge Court that would maintain access to the south-end development during floods.
The owners of 54 properties are paying for the project and asked the committee members if they saw any issues that would halt their plans. Committee members instructed Grasser to work with the residents to make sure the plans fit with city requirements.
Committee members also forwarded a resolution opposing the closing of the U.S. Postal Service's mail processing center.
Council member Terry Bjerke, who is a mail carrier, said he did not like telling the Postal Service how to operate.
"I'm leery of this because they certainly have some issues which I could attest to, but I won't," he said.
Reach Bjorke at (701) 780-1117; (800) 477-6572, ext. 117; or send email to cbjorke@gfherald.com .
