West Fargo commissioners confirm special assessments for four improvement districts; 2270 passes 4-1

West Fargo City Commission members confirmed and approved special-assessment lists for four improvement districts at a Sept. 15 special meeting, authorizing the city to proceed with established plans to repay bonds used to build new infrastructure. The actions covered: Improvement District 1337 (new water, sewer, streets and incidentals in The Wilds 21st Addition); District 1339 (water and sewer in the Old Stockyards area); District 2270 (a traffic signal and minor intersection work at Ninth Street West and 30th Avenue West); and District 2271 (concrete paving, street lighting and storm sewer at Seventh Avenue NW and Fifth Street Court NW). City Engineer Jerry Wallace described each project and recommended confirming the assessment lists so staff can file them with the city auditor. Why it matters: confirming the assessment lists authorizes the city to allocate costs to benefited properties and proceed with debt reimbursement for completed infrastructure work. Property owners who filed timely written appeals have the statutory right to present their objections to the commission under North Dakota Century Code section 40-23-14, City Attorney Katie Schmidt told commissioners before the hearing. The meeting and actions: For Improvement District 1337, which the city said is one of the last residential subdivisions south of 52nd Avenue, commissioners approved the special-assessment list after a public hearing. Wallace told the commission that a technical problem required a second round of mailed notices to ensure property owners were alerted. During the public comment period, Marlon Russell Lean identified himself as a private citizen and made a special-appearance request about a “conditional acceptance for 5446 Laurie Lane West” and the “Bridal Business Trust conditional acceptance,” asking whether the city had any questions; no follow-up questions were taken from the commission. On the definition of “incidentals” in the assessments, Wallace said such items generally cover smaller components not explicitly listed on plan sets and “could include things like multi-use path systems and street lights,” attributing those as typical examples rather than an exhaustive list. District 1339, a water-and-sewer project in the Old Stockyards area, and District 2271, an urbanization project converting a gravel road to paved street and adding storm and lighting improvements, were both presented with staff recommendations to confirm and approve their assessment lists; no written appeals had been filed for either district and no public comments were offered at the hearings. District 2270, the traffic-signal project at Ninth Street West and 30th Avenue West, was approved after a public hearing. The commission recorded a 4–1 vote on 2270; the recording shows one commissioner voted “nay” though the transcript does not name which commissioner cast the no vote. What was not decided here: City Attorney Katie Schmidt reminded the commission that appeals to district court remain available to parties not satisfied with the commission’s decisions. Schmidt also advised commissioners that although the law requires a written appeal to appear before the commission, it is within the commission’s discretion to hear an oral comment from someone who did not file a written appeal; she recommended, if the commission closes a hearing without confirming a list, not taking additional testimony afterward so as not to prejudice those who filed written appeals. Process notes and next steps: For the districts confirmed, staff will file the approved assessment lists with the city auditor as directed. Wallace and staff remained available to answer follow-up questions that property owners or commissioners may have. The commission adjourned after completing the four items.