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Clerk says downtown pancake-house deal awarded but appraisal and fund coding remain unresolved
Summary
The Garrett City clerk reported the pancake-house project was awarded in November 2024 but said the appraisal and documentation remain outstanding; the clerk also asked staff to correct invoice coding between redevelopment and TIF funds and to track reimbursements from the electric department.
The Garrett City clerk said the downtown pancake-house project was awarded in November 2024 but that staff and the developer have struggled to complete required appraisals and paperwork, delaying next steps.
At a council meeting, the clerk said the developer’s agreement had a nine-month window and that the project’s funds had not been encumbered. “They were awarded back in November 2024,” the clerk said, and added that obtaining an appraisal and related documentation has been “a whole thing.”
Why it matters: the clerk said several invoice lines in the city’s packet appear to be mis-coded between the redevelopment fund and the city’s tax increment financing (TIF) funds, which affects which budget bears certain legal and building-related expenses. The clerk asked staff to correct an invoice entry (05/4750) to $300 and to change a $6.02 line to $9.50 to reflect attorney fees tied to unsafe-building work, and said those attorney charges should be paid from TIF funds rather than the redevelopment fund.
Council staff confirmed the need to reconcile invoices and fund codes before final payments are processed. The clerk also said the electric department is expected to reimburse some charges that were advanced from TIF funds, and asked staff to move those reimbursements back to the appropriate accounts when received.
The clerk described ongoing communication with the developer and third parties arranging appraisals. “It’s been a debacle just trying to get someone to get us” an appraisal, the clerk said, but added the city has documentation it will submit to the state once completed.
The council did not take a formal vote on the project during the meeting. The clerk said staff would continue to pursue the appraisal and financial reconciliations and update the council at a later meeting.
