Will You Pay for the Next Road Project? Waite Park Weighs New Assessment Rules

(KNSI) – The city of Waite Park is working toward establishing a formal assessment policy, one that could shape how future infrastructure costs are shared between the city and property owners.

City Administrator Shaunna Johnson says the conversation was prompted by upcoming projects, including work on Sundial Drive, and that the city simply lacks a formal framework for how assessments should be handled. “We can look at assessing for a lot of different things. It could be streets, it can be utilities, it could be for storm sewer, it could be for sidewalks. We just are looking at and talking with the council about putting a policy together.”

Johnson says the city has not formally assessed property owners in nearly two decades, and that the new policy is less about catching up on infrastructure and more about having clear guidelines ready as Waite Park continues to grow. “Having a good assessment policy in place is really gonna help the council when coming up and having to make these kinds of decisions about what to assess and how much and how and when.”

Johnson says a draft policy will go to the city council for a work session review before any final action is taken. She expects that process to be complete by early summer.

Residents who want to weigh in can contact the city directly or attend an upcoming city council meeting.

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