Councilmen Approve City Re-assessment Prt \\ lm By SALLY TROUT . program the entire city will be re-assessed through the ' There is also the possibility that severo! structurCJs reason that the 1~1lag ·~. ~\ ?e reduced. This News Staff Writer efforts of Eugene Servis, city assessor. and building . hilve been over-assessed as the assCJssed valuation over the year the city has been l ·~, ,~ assessed millanc In an attempt to more equitably assess tjle value 01 inspector, and two part-time assistants. · . .years has not changed, but the structure has depreciaied due to tiiC increascs.in e\ ~ .. y;, f course, wouid rea! estate, buildings and personal property, the Mason If a home is assessed . properly now, the ·in vhluc. depend on whether or no ·· -:5 . ·city council approved a complete reassessment of all re-assessment program will probably not mean an 't::; As an example of some of the taxing inequities more city services or not fc '~. ~; ~ity demanded taxable parcels and structures in the city Monday night. u'Jcrcase in taxes, Tl11's 's most l1'ke· Jy to be tl1e case w'ti · ·.·,.··.within the city, William Bopf, city administrator, cites tl1e Tl tl ·~ ~"~ s. ' . , This action was prompted by Councilman· Frank 1 1 1 f , te uee assessors wi. • <.!, ~each day at Guerriero who told the council that there were several the newly constructed homes or those buildings having · · existence o vacant lots witlr an assessed market price of 10 a.m. and stop at 5 p.m ~iting every areas of the city which were not carrying their fair had recent remodeling work completed, These have been · $4,000 each, but these lots arc currently being offered for building and property parcel ,1, l3opf.urged. amount of the tax load and others carrying too much. assessed at the current market price, so the property ! sale for a price of $~,500 each. citizens to cooperate with the. ~1 ·11ch easier According to state Jaw all property is to be evaluated owner is paying his full amount for the value, . · . · Even t)10ugh prop,erty may be assessed at a higher to get a correct assessment fl~ ~~, \frying to at 50 percent of its market value. The county equalization The case for inequities is expected to show up in ,, ·value this docs not necessarily mean that a property guess the value of property from .nlk. department estimates that Mason is assessed at a figure older properties which have been improved without this ._;·:owner wlll face a larger tax bill in December of July. The When home owners arc re1 .. "cat home for lower than this and determined its equalizing factor at being reflected on the assessment rolls. Skyrocketing . :city determines how much millage it needs to assess to the assessor's call, the residents ·<~II be contacted and 1.46 as opposed to the I ,00 preferred factor. property values will also create an increase in the market · :· derive sufficient income to pay the cost of city service special appointments made for the call, In the past, certain portions of the city were value of a structure even if no improvements have been · operations, · Bopf also reminds people that the city assessor does re-assessed each year, but under the newly adopted made. · If the assessed figure is larger, Jt only stands to not set the tax rate, and therefore, has no control over how high or low an individual's property taxes will be, It does no good to complain to the assessor about taxes for he can do nothing about it, The tax rate is determined by citizens' demands for city services. · Each man on the city assessing team wJII be given an ~ i~entification car~ ~mplete with photograph, stamped Jln· . t * w . City seal and Wilham Bopfs signature. Residllnts arc ~ advised to request to see the identification card before . onn·· y e admitting the city assessor into their homes, th£ Cost of conducting a full re-assessment of the city as opposed to a partial re-assessment is estimated to cost an increased $1 ,951, Each citizen is to feel free to discuss No. 2 5 677-9011 June , his assessment with the city assessor two weeks following Vol. 109, 18 1969 15 cents Pe.r Copy the re-assessment visit, The property owner also has the Second clooe postage pold ot Muoon, Mlchlgon, Publlohod wookly by PAN AX CORPORATION, P.O. Box 226, Moson, Mlchlgon 46854 Subocrlptlon rote,• In lnghnm ond odjolnln& counties, $5 par por, olaowhoro $6. right tO appeal the assessment before the Board of Review, · ·Roosevelt Street Residents Ask Curb and Gutter Improvements Citizens' requests were the order of business at the Monday night meeting of the Mason city council. Requests in the form of signed petitions asked that the council approve lowering the road bed and installation· of curb and gutters on Roosevelt street and that the council approve replacement of the foot bridge at the end of Park street leading into a small paik area adjacent to the Maple Grove cemetery, FIRST STOP·The Art Residents of Roosevelt told councilmen that they Frank home on Mark street In had been inconvenienced a great deal by the installation Mason was one of the first of storm drains and sanitary sewers as part of a large homes to have Its assessment program to get services to the new junior high school reviewed under Mason's now building now under construction. re-assessment program. Mrs. The home owners indicated that in order to have a Frank offers Information to real nice street they were willing to put up with dust and City Assessor Eugene Servis discomfort until plans, specifications and bids were as Assistant Assessor Jerry approved for the added curb and gutter project. Spriggs measures off the Councilmen authorized the city engineer to draw up plans property, and specifications for the project. Approximately one year ago vandals entered the Maple Grove cemetery and did a great deal of damage to the monuments. At that time the cemetery board established regular hours for the cemetery and limited the various ways of entering the cemetery. A foot bridge leading to a park area and the cemetery was removed in order to stop the traffic of cyclists and persons walking their dogs in the cemetery. Petitioners sought council action to restore the bridge as it led to an area once used quite frequently by neighborhood youngsters as a play area. Councilmen referred the request to the cemetery board and the Mason area recreation commission for their /llfail Car Burns After Accident ·study and recommendation. Recommendations were to be presented at the next regular meeting of the council so The mail went tluough on Thursday with the of a mile north of Bunker road in Aurelius township at that a decision could be made. exception of a portion on rural route 2 of Mason. About 11:40 a.m. In other action the council approved the assessment 1/3 of the mail was burned when the car driven by Post was headed north on Onondaga road and had roll for the repair or reconstruction of damaged sections · postman C.V. Post of Mason, was struck from behind by a stopped at a mail box to make a delivery when he was hit. of sidewalk in the city. vehicle driven by Loretta B. Hidy, 16, of Lansing, Miss Hidy told deputies that she was traveling north at Installation of air conditioning for the police-fire according to investigating sheriffs deputies. about 50 or 60 miles per hour and had turned to look at building at a cost of about S2,000 was approved' by the The accident occurred on Onondaga road about 3/ I 0 some horses and came upon the mailman before she could council with Councilman William Jacobs and Jon Jenkins stop. opposing the action. When the building was reconstructed On in1pact the mail car burst into flames and all of all the necessary venting for· air conditioning was installed Mason Police Officer the mail picked up on the route and all that waiting for and the additional funds appropriated in this year's delivery was burned beyond recognition. The Post car was budget, · completely destroyed. The car had only 500 miles on it. Approval was given for the construction of a Resigns his Position Post had taken delivery on the car only six days ago. temporary shooting range for Ingham county sheriff's Four persons in the 2 cars were injured and taken to deputies and authorized personnel on county property in Announcement of the resignation of Sgt. Allen Lansings' Edward W. Sparrow hospital .by ambulances, back of the jail. Winters, a member of the Mason police force for the past They were Miss Hidy and her passengers, Gene Hoeve,l9, 4 years, was made today by William Bopf, city of Lansing and Julia Brandon, 12, of Battle Creek, and administrator. Post, 52, of 727 S. Lansing street, Mason, Area Golf Course "We are very sorry to see Sgt. Winters leave the According to Postmaster James Stubbert, all persons department as he is a top notch officer, but he has been on Route 2 were notified of the accident and the fact that offered a higher paying job with regular hours," Bopf said. mail had been lost in the fire. Opening Saturday "Our pollee department has experienced a minimum "I'm only thankful the accident didn't happen turn over since competative wage schedules were during the time when social security checks are mailed The Branson Bay Golf Course and Driving Range will established, but all police departments can expect to Jose out, but with graduation and Fathers Day there were open to the public on Saturday, June 21.