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Council debates sidewalk-assessment options; no policy vote taken
Summary
City Manager Becca reopened discussion of sidewalk-assessment policy. Councilmembers and residents debated options including homeowner assessments, an eight-year repayment plan, an internal loan pool (roughly $200,000–$300,000 discussed) and responsibility for tree-caused damage; no action was taken.
The Morris City Council spent substantial time discussing how the city should handle sidewalk replacement and assessing costs to homeowners. City Manager Becca said the city could seek MnDOT grant funds to offset sidewalk replacements and review a policy that would require homeowners to replace deteriorated sidewalks, as had been done historically in Morris.
Former public works practitioner Jay Fear told the council he had overseen sidewalk assessment programs for decades and described a prior model in which the city paid up-front and assessed homeowners over an eight-year period with modest interest. "We used to always assess for sidewalks," Fear said, adding that past projects included petition-driven sidewalks and an eight-year payoff structure.
Council members and residents raised concerns about fairness, tree-root damage in boulevards and the financial burden on homeowners — noting that assessments can shift local support for sidewalks when owners face upfront costs. One council member proposed creating a city loan pool (figures mentioned in discussion ranged from $200,000 to $300,000) so property owners could pay over time; others urged prioritizing other pressing city needs.
No policy was adopted at the meeting; staff said they would study funding options, potential grant opportunities and policy models and report back.
