Staff writer
The duration of the Marion County neighborhood revitalization program may be reduced from 10 to five years, commissioners tentatively decided Monday.
Property owners completing new applications for approved revitalization projects will be eligible for tax rebates of 90 percent the first year. Rebates will be reduced 10 percent until the fifth and final year, when the rebate will be 50 percent.
Property owners who have applied under the current revitalization plan will still have rebates for 10 years.
Another change would allow rebates for multiple projects on the same parcel, although only one construction project at a time will be allowed.
Commissioners also discussed including a clause allowing the plan to be canceled in the event of a disaster that destroys a large portion of buildings, like the Greensburg tornado.
Commissioners took no action on the proposed changes. They said they hope to have the revised plan in place Jan. 1.
In other business:
- County Attorney Susan Robson met with commissioners in closed session for 10 minutes to discuss matters protected by attorney-client privilege. Commissioners approved settlements of $4,500 with Kennedy Berkley Yarnevich & Williamson, Chartered, for a wage dispute with former Sanitarian and Planning and Zoning Director Roberta Strait. They also settled a lawsuit for $2,083 with Francisco Xuncax of Grand Island, Neb., in relation to his car being impounded after a traffic stop. Insurance paid for both settlements.
- The county will share the cost of a drainage project in Durham. Because of poor drainage, several property owners’ lawns were underwater much of the summer, which killed grass and created a mosquito problem. The county will pay $3,000 of the $11,400 cost of the project.
- J&J Drainage Products of Hutchinson will supply magnesium chloride to Road and Bridge Department for dust control on 330th Road north of Tampa. The cost of the project is $3,520.
The next commission meeting will be Monday.