Delay in Lakeshore Blvd. Special Assessment

Residents of one Marquette neighborhood have a little longer to wait to receive something they’ve been waiting decades for.

2 weeks ago, the City Commission approved a special tax assessment for water line work, sewer line work and road reconstruction.

It’s all on the 3000 block of Lakeshore Boulevard.

All property owners in the area will pay, whether their septic systems meet city standards or not.

Each family will have to pay a different amount based on the value of their property.

Gene Connor has lived on the 3000 block for more than 35 years.

He spoke out at the commission meeting tonight, saying in a way this project involves all 40 families on the block paying for sewer line work that only about half of them need.

The other half have spent their own money to keep their septic systems up to code.

Other residents have recently spoken out in support.

But Connor says he spent $8,000 a few years ago to bring his septic system up to code, and he says neighbors of his did the same.

Connor says this project effectively means his investment was for nothing.

He’s being asked to pay about $3,000.

He says he’d be satisfied if the city were to reimburse him $3,000 instead which made the sewer work not applicable to him, but he says it won’t happen and he’s upset about that.

The commission voted to send the special assessment tax schedule back to the City Assessor to make changes.

The expected changes should give residents who will owe larger shares of the money more time to pay up.