Politics & Government

Private Streets Are Wannabes

Sunset Hills's Public Works Department weighed petitions by residents of private streets to become public; and then the Board of Aldermen met for the last time until next year.

The cost of maintaining private streets was the hot topic during a public meeting Tuesday of Sunset Hills' Public Works officials.

The group of city officials, elected officials and city residents debated the potential for additional miles of private streets to come under the city's purview--typically at the request of private street residents.

Mayor Bill Nolan proposed a new half-cent tax to create a revenue stream for street repair. He said a new tax would cancel out the existing one due to expire in 2016 and allow the city to pay off $650,000 in annual debt service fees.

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The tax would be exclusively for capital improvements.

Officials determined they would continue to consider the petitions by residents of private streets and the notion of a new streets-only tax.

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In other matters, the Board of Aldermen approved a $7.8 million budget for 2011 which is about $14,000 less than the 2010 budget.

They agreed to pay the Municipal Court judge and prosecuting attorney each $1,200 monthly, which is down from a proposed $1,800 but up $100 from previously. In addition, a freelancing judge would earn $400 per court session.

The Board of Aldermen also agreed to amend an ordinance about discharging firearms that would allow bow and arrow hunting for several days in Powder Valley as part of a state program directed at deer population control.


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