Fraser council affirms industrial park special-assessment roll and moves to seek bonds after lengthy public hearing

Fraser City Council on the meeting record affirmed the industrial park special-assessment tax roll and authorized steps toward issuing bonds to pay for reconstruction of the industrial-park roads, after a lengthy public hearing in which multiple property owners raised concerns about how assessments were calculated.

The council voted 6–1 to adopt the resolution affirming the assessment roll. Council later approved a separate intent-to-issue-bonds resolution to begin the public notice and referendum period required under state law; that notice sets a not-to-exceed bonding ceiling of $9 million and starts a 45-day period for potential petitions. If no referendum is filed, the city will return for formal bond authorization after bids are received.

Why it matters: the city and property owners are using a mix of state funds, city funds and a special-assessment program to replace and upgrade roads, drainage and sewer systems across the industrial park. Council and city staff said the combined project will be staged over two construction years with the goal of starting work in summer 2025, and that completing the work now takes advantage of a $4 million state contribution.

City officials and the engineer said the assessment amount per linear foot fell from the previous estimate of about $809 per foot to roughly $230 per foot because of the outside funding and changes in the funding plan. The administration and engineering consultant described the total project budget in public remarks as approximately $16 million, with the industrial-park special assessments covering up to $4 million of that amount, the city contributing an up-front portion (council referenced about $3.5 million), and the remainder to be financed by bonds.

During the public hearing, multiple property owners questioned the method used to apportion the assessment among parcels. The city's engineering consultant described the method as based on “assessable front footage,” measured using the zoning-defined front-yard dimension in cases of corner lots or unusual parcel shapes. Several owners argued the approach produced inconsistent bills for parcels that appear similar on the street and asked the council to reconsider the measurement or to allow changes for individual parcels.

The council and legal staff said the hearing and protest process preserves property owners’ rights: verbal protests at the hearing were accepted and will be part of the formal record. Protesters were told they may pursue the matter to the Michigan Tax Tribunal if they wish. Council members noted that if a tribunal or other action requires reallocation, the city could absorb any shortfall or reallocate assessments among the district.

Council discussion also addressed schedule and financing: staff said the design is underway, the city expects to bid the work in the coming months, and construction would be phased across two years (half the project in 2025 and the remainder in 2026). The administration said assessment installments are scheduled to appear on summer tax bills, with the first installment due June 1 of the assessment year, and that first interest payments on any bond borrowing would likely begin in the fall with principal starting in 2026.

The motion to affirm the assessment roll passed on a roll call vote 6–1: Yes — Bransky, Lesage (Mayor), O'Dell, Shornack, Stein and Mayor Pro Tem Sutherland; No — Perry.

After closing the hearing and taking public comment, the council adopted a second resolution to publish notice of intent to issue bonds up to a $9 million ceiling. City bond counsel explained the resolution triggers the 45-day referendum period; if a petition signed by the required percentage of registered electors is filed, the council could not sell bonds without a public vote. If no petition is filed, the city would return later with a specific borrowing authorization matched to final bids and costs.

Ending: Council members and staff said they would continue reviewing protest submissions and provide parcel-level clarifications as requested; the city will proceed with project design and seek bids so the council can confirm final financing and construction timing.