Commission approves improvement district for 2025 mill-and-overlay project after no written protests

The West Fargo City Commission voted Feb. 3 to adopt the resolution to create Improvement District 2290 to fund a 2025 mill-and-overlay public-works project after staff reported no written protests to the district formation.

Dan Hansen, city engineer, told the commission engineering staff mailed 377 notices to property owners outlining estimated assessments and the process to file written protests. "We did receive 0 written protests that would protest the creation of the district out of the 377 letters that we mailed out," Hansen said, adding that many phone inquiries stemmed from misinterpreting an estimated assessment example of "$1,600" as an annual or per-year charge rather than the total estimated assessment.

"That $1,600 is the total amount of the estimated cost for that assessment," Hansen said, explaining term and interest rate would be set later by the commission and assessment commission. After staff clarified the estimate to callers, he said many expressed support for the work because local roads are deteriorating.

Hansen asked the commission to approve the resolution in the packet so staff could move forward with design and bidding. Commissioner Olson moved to approve the resolution; Commissioner Zundell seconded. The motion carried on a voice vote.

Hansen said design and bidding will proceed; specific assessment terms, interest rates and repayment schedules will be determined later and returned to the commission for formal actions. The hearing on written protests was procedural and not a public hearing on the project scope or assessments.