Willmar council adopts 2024 street assessment roll after objections, approves two targeted reductions

The Willmar City Council on a unanimous vote adopted the city’s 2024 street assessment roll after hearing a string of public objections, staff explanations and council debate.

City engineer Jared presented the assessment memorandum and explained the funding and math behind the projects, saying the total project cost is $11,665,000 and the total assessment amount is $2,367,965.58 — about 20.3% of the total project cost. Jared told the council he had reviewed every objection filed at the assessment hearing and recommended that most objections be denied because the assessments were calculated according to the city’s adopted assessment policy and because the improvements provide a special benefit to the properties.

Members of the public who spoke during the open forum urged relief and clearer transparency. Justin Mattern, a resident who had compiled questions and suggestions for the council, urged a change in policy and asked the council to consider a 33% reduction for objecting properties. Mattern said his packet included “a list of questions that still remain” and urged the council to pursue alternatives to reduce assessments while maintaining funding for needed street work.

Council members pressed staff on specific items including whether deferments were available to residents with disabilities and the deadline for applying. Staff said residents may apply for a deferment at City Hall and that applications should be submitted before November 1 so any approved deferment can be reflected on next year’s assessment roll; city attorney counsel reiterated that final council approval timing for deferments should allow placement on the county certified roll (staff cited October 21 as the last meeting for council action to affect the roll).

After the staff presentation, council voted to resolve the memo’s objections as recommended by staff except for two parcels the council wanted handled separately. The body then took separate motions on those parcels: the council removed the sanitary‑sewer component for one corner property, reducing that parcel’s assessment by $1,632.50, and approved a 30% reduction on another corner‑lot assessment that had been atypically treated in a 2012 assessment. Both separate motions passed on roll calls. The council then adopted the full assessment roll by a recorded vote of 8‑0.

The engineer and city attorney emphasized that the assessments were prepared under the city’s policy and cited Minnesota statutory authority for municipal assessments; they advised that parties wishing to challenge an assessment in court would typically need appraisal evidence to rebut the presumption of validity. Staff also reminded residents that the community investment fund, local option sales tax receipts and certain utility transfers are used toward project costs.

The council’s action closes staff’s formal handling of the listed objections but preserves the procedural options open to property owners: submit timely deferment applications, pursue administrative review, or, if desired, litigate the assessment in district court.

The council did not change the overall bond requirement cited by staff (the bonding scenario used in calculations requires roughly 20% to be assessed to benefiting properties). The assessment roll adoption was followed by routine next steps for certification to the appropriate county authorities.

The council’s vote on the assessment roll and the two parcel adjustments were the principal formal outcomes of the meeting on this subject.