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Sunny Hills residents urge county to delay MSBU rate step as petition grows; commissioners set June public hearing
Summary
Dozens of Sunny Hills residents told the Washington County commission they oppose advancing a preliminary MSBU rate resolution while a citizen petition to dissolve the Sunny Hills Oak Hill MSBU is underway. Commissioners voted to publish notice and hold a public hearing in June to consider a final rate resolution.
Dozens of Sunny Hills residents pressed Washington County commissioners on the proposed Sunny Hills municipal services benefit unit (MSBU) preliminary rate resolution, arguing the county should pause the process while a citizen petition calling for abolishment is collected.
"Who does the structure really serve? Who controls the priorities? Who controls the funds? Who speaks for residents?" Sunny Hills resident Ken Attard asked the commission during public comment, saying hundreds of signatures are being gathered and urging the board to listen publicly rather than direct residents to private appointments.
Attorney Matt (county attorney) explained the procedural role of the preliminary rate resolution — it publishes notice and schedules a June public hearing and does not itself change rates. He said the MSBU stems from a 2021 ordinance and that only property owners inside the mapped MSBU pay the assessment. He added roughly 15,000 paved-road lots currently pay an annual assessment (he said the current assessment is about $40.29 per lot) and that the proposed revised residential lot rate in the resolution is $42.76 per year (the ordinance limits increases to 5% annually). He also said unpaid assessments can result in a lien on the property.
Several residents disputed the MSBU’s current governance structure and history. "We have three times voted against MSBU and three times the Board of County Commissioners passed it anyway," a long-time resident said, arguing votes taken previously by residents were not respected. Jolene Attard told the board the MSBU originally was resident-controlled but now is run through an advisory board appointed by the BOCC and a paid coordinator, which she said felt like a tax rather than a benefit.
Commissioners and staff sought to clarify usage of MSBU funds and recent county spending in Sunny Hills. One commissioner noted multiple county investments (paving projects, park repairs and other work) and said MSBU funds are for enhancements "above and beyond" county-provided essential services. Staff provided a multi-page list of county expenditures and said the MSBU funds are maintained separately and used only within the MSBU benefit district.
Residents disputed details of how projects are chosen and asked for clearer scheduling and notification about public hearings. County staff and commissioners repeatedly emphasized that the preliminary resolution is a first step that sets a public hearing (to be held in June) where residents will have a formal opportunity to testify before the board considers final adoption. A motion to publish notice and set the public hearing carried.
The board did not adopt a final rate at the meeting; it approved only publication of notice and scheduling of the public hearing in June where the rate-resolution adoption will be considered.
