Dorchester board approves intent to levy special assessments, adopts new street improvement projects

Chairperson Roger Miller and the Village of Dorchester Board of Trustees voted on June 8 to approve Resolution 2026-04, declaring the village's intent to levy special assessments against properties that will benefit from multiple street improvement projects, and set a public hearing on the levies for 6:30 p.m. on July 13, 2026.

The resolution, presented by Clerk-Treasurer Jen Kasl, applies to Street Improvement Project Nos. 2025-1 through 2025-4 and Street Improvement District Nos. 2025-1 and 2025-2. It lists project limits — including 6th Street (Washington to Lincoln), 8th Street (Washington to Lincoln), 9th Street (Washington to Lincoln), and 10th Street (Franklin to Washington and Washington to Lincoln) — and enumerates the lots and parcel numbers that may be subject to assessments. The resolution directs that assessment details be made available in the Village Clerk’s office and that property owners and others may be heard at the July 13 public hearing.

The board approved the resolution by motion (Motion by Chairperson Roger Miller, seconded by Nancy Tellez), recorded as "Motion carried (4-0-1)." Nate Hitchins was listed as excused for the meeting. The resolution instructs the clerk to publish notice or personally serve owners at least four weeks before the hearing in accordance with law.

During the same meeting the trustees also considered and adopted Ordinance 2026-01, which creates Street Improvement Project Nos. 2026-1 and 2026-2, defines project boundaries, and provides for paving, grading, curbing, guttering and assessment of costs against specially benefited properties. The board voted to waive the three-reading rule (Motion by Tammie Lang, seconded by Matt Shaw; "Motion carried (4-0-1)") and then adopted the ordinance on first and final reading (Motion by Chairperson Roger Miller, seconded by Tammie Lang; "Motion carried (4-0-1)").

Clerk Kasl and Austin Partridge of Northland Securities briefed the board on the levy assessment process that underlies special assessments for infrastructure projects. The transcript notes the board began a separate discussion of Ordinance 2026-02, concerning issuance of bond anticipation notes to support projects, but no vote or final action on that ordinance appears in the provided excerpt.

Next steps: the village will publish or personally serve notice of the July 13 public hearing(s) and make assessment calculations available in the Clerk’s office as the board proceeds toward adopting final levies and recording votes by parcel. The meeting minutes show routine department reports were provided earlier in the session, including a fire report by Asst. Chief Kasl and a code compliance report by Jerod Francis.