ESTABLISHING NEW ROAD MAINTENANCE

SPECIAL ASSESSMENT DISTRICTS

Topic Checklist

ALLOW UP TO 12 MONTHS FOR PROCESSING OF AN SAD PROGRAM!

Project Na me/Location: ________________________

ALL SPECIAL ASSESSMENT DISTRICTS ARE ESTABLISHED FOR A 10-YEAR PERIOD.

PROCESS OF ESTABLISHING NEW ROAD MAINTENANCE S.A.D. DISTRICTS

Step 1: Initial Contact . Resident or Property Owner will contact Township requesting that their road(s) be maintained and/or improved by the Township through a Special Assessment District. Must determine the services that the property owners desire, i.e. gravel, grading, snow removal, dust control, chipseal, paving, etc. Must also determine if the road(s) is private or public. If the road is public, the Livingston County Road Commission must give the Township permission to perform any type of maintenance or improvement to the road.

Step 2: Drafting of Petition Form. Prepare the petition form that will be signed by the property owners in the proposed district based upon the services requested by the property owners. Method of assessment is generally determined by the Board of Trustees unless a method is specifically requested by property owners.

Step 3: Prepare Map of Proposed District – Must be included with petition form. Confirm district property information to make sure all parcels are included in the proposed district boundaries.

Step 4: Prepare Preliminary Estimate of Cost for Project . Estimates based upon current contractor pricing received for similar road maintenance projects. (Only preliminary at this point.) If road is public, the Livingston County Road Commission Engineer must prepare a preliminary project description and estimate of cost to forward to the Township.

Step 5: Draft and Mail Letter explaining the proper circulation method of the Petition Form, District Map, and Estimate of Cost to the property owner requesting petition to establish district.

NOTE: A road maintenance district in this example is a self-funded S.A.D. and does not require the sale of bonds to finance the project.

PROJECT TRACK SHEET: Once Signed Petitions Returned to Township:

____ Verify signatures on petitions as the property owners of record.

____ Calculate total road front footage of properties located along both sides of road.

____ Calculate total road front footage owned by property owners who signed in favor or establishing district.

____ Determine if road is public or private. If private, proceed with following checklist. If the road is public, send copies of petitions to Livingston County Road Commission and request for approval of maintenance/improvement request. Must wait for County authorization and permits to proceed with project.

____ If more than 50% in favor, project is forwarded to Township Board for review, acceptance and setting of 1st public hearing date.

____ If less than 50% in favor, property owners are notified of results and no further action is taken on project unless additional petitions are received by Township.

____ Prepare project information sheet, prepare map showing property owners in support, copy petitions, and provide all information to Clerk.

____ Prepare Supervisor’s Certificate to acknowledge receipt of petitions and confirm support of property owners within proposed district.

____ Draft Resolution #1 acknowledging receipt of petitions and Board’s intent to establish S.A.D.

____ If project approved, Board passes Resolution #1 tentatively declaring intent to create S.A.D. and scheduling of 1 st Public Hearing.

NEWSPAPER/INDIVIDUAL NOTICES FOR 1st HEARING – Published in local newspaper

Sent to Clerk on: ____________To be Published On: _____________

Notice in newspaper must be published twice before the hearing in a newspaper circulating in the Township.

THE FIRST NOTICE MUST BE PUBLISHED AT LEAST 10 DAYS BEFORE THE DATE OF THE HEARING.

The Township is also required to give notice to each property owner or party with an interest in property to be assessed, whose name appears on the last township tax assessment roll, by first class mail at least 10 days before the hearing.

Date Notice Mailed to Property Owners: ______________

____ Prepare and sign Affidavit of Mailing stating that Notices were mailed by first class mail to property owners, have signature notarized, and provide copy of Notice along with list of names and addresses of who Notices were mailed to and provide to Township Clerk.

* This Notice must contain all information regarding services to be performed for road maintenance and the process of establishing a special assessment district along with date, time and place of hearing.

1st Public Hearing –

____ Property owners given opportunity to object to establishing district.

____ Property owners given opportunity to object to proposed district boundaries.

____ Property owners given opportunity to object to amount of preliminary estimate of project cost.

____ Draft Resolution #2 to establish the special assessment district, direct the preparation of the assessment roll and set the date of the second public hearing. Provide to Clerk for adoption after 1 st Public Hearing.

____ If project approved, Board passes Resolution #2 to establish the S.A.D. and schedule the 2 nd Public Hearing necessary to adopt the Assessment Roll.

____ Send project specifications to contractors for official request for proposal to provide road maintenance services as requested by property owners. Provide copy of bid specification form and list of contractors who received requests for bids to Clerk. Post notice of request for bids at Township Hall so that other contractors may bid.

____ Prepare Annual Estimates of Cost for first year and second year of project based on bids.

____ Prepare Project Budget for accounting department/Clerk’s office in order to determine assessments on property tax bills once district is established.

____ Prepare Assessment Roll listing all property owner names, addresses, property legal descriptions, unit benefit factors (if necessary), and amount of assessment based on bids received from the Contractors.

____ Prepare Supervisor’s Certificate for Assessment Roll and attach to roll before presenting to Clerk.

____ Draft Resolution #3 Confirming the Special Assessment Roll. Prepare Warrant form for Treasurer as part of resolution and provide to Clerk.

NEWSPAPER/INDIVIDUAL NOTICES FOR 2nd HEARING – Published in local newspaper __________

See Publication and Mailing Notice requirements above under 1st Public Hearing.

* This Notice must contain a listing of all parcel numbers located within the proposed special assessment district along with a map of the district boundaries along with date, time and place of hearing. This Notice must also clearly state that property owners must object to the amount of their assessment if they want to appeal to the Michigan Tax Tribunal.

2nd Public Hearing

____ Property owners given opportunity to object to amount of assessment for road maintenance. Property owners who wish to appeal the amount of their assessment to the Michigan Tax Tribunal have 30 days to do so once the Township adopts the Assessment Roll.

____ If project approved, Board passes Resolution #3to confirm assessment roll.

____ Provide any necessary documentation to property owner concerning special assessment district if they wish to appeal their assessment to the Michigan Tax Tribunal. Property owners in two of the districts have done so.

AWARD PROJECT TO CONTRACTOR

____ Draft Agreement to Provide Road Maintenance based upon approved and accepted contractor bid and have signed by Contractor, Supervisor, and Clerk. Agreement is based on services requested by petition of the property owners.

____ Establish service schedule with Contractor and verify and approve all invoices for services rendered by Contractor.

____ Coordination of dust control spraying schedule with individual contractor grading roads in order to ensure that all roads are graded prior to chloride applications – 3 times per year.

____ Continually receive and respond to all road maintenance calls and concerns from residents in all road maintenance districts.

Checklist Prepared by:

Brittany K. Campbell

Hamburg Township Utilities Coordinator

10405 Merrill Rd., P.O. Box 157

Hamburg, MI 48139

(810) 231-1000 x 210

(810) 231-4295 Fax

E-mail: bcampbell@hamburg.mi.us