Properties at 108-116 S. Linn St., have been acquired by Dr. Steven Ingersoll and the city is facilitating redevelopment of the property. Property Value Reductions Seen Costing City $1 Million in Taxes for 2011
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City Manager Robert V. Belleman says the city stands to lose about $1 million in 2011 due to the decline in property values.
However, on a positive note, the city will benefit from federal stimulus dollars funding a broadband infrastructure project of the Merit Network, Inc. Merit will build a 955-mile advance fiber-optic network through 32 counties in the Lower Peninsula, including Bay City, directly connecting 44 community anchor institutions serving 886,000 households and 45,800 businesses.
In light of a decline in revenues, the manager posed a question to residents attending the first of three Town Hall meetings last Monday at St. Hyacinth field house:
"What aspects of the Police Department services should be continued and what, if any should be temporarily suspended during tight economic times?"
The second Town Hall meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. next Monday, Mar. 29, at the Visitation Parish Center, with Fire Chief Michalek presenting information on the fire department. The third and final Town Hall will be April 12 at 6:30 p.m. at the Bay County Community Center, featuring several officials presenting on various aspects of General Fund operations.
Mr. Belleman said:
"I firmly believe our residents need to receive up-to-date, accurate information on the General Fund and the challenges currently facing the City of Bay City because of the economic downturn, foreclosures and reductions in state revenue sharing."
At the April 12 meeting, City Assessor Ms. Amy DeHaan-Legge, will provide an overview of the city's Industrial Facilities Tax Abatement and the Obsolete Property Rehabilitation Act programs. Currently the city provides an automatic 12-year exemption for any applicant under both programs. The manager said:
"I want to share with residents factual information about both of these programs and why the city continues to offer tax abatement incentives when property taxes are declining."
Dana Muscott, city clerk/deputy city manager, will review the number of precincts in each ward and the possibility of downsizing precincts as a cost-saving measure.
Finally, Ms. Wendy White, director of Human Resources, "will present some of the steps the city it taking in partnership with employees to reduce our labor costs so we can provide respectable levels of services during these tough economic times," said the manager.
Meanwhile, the manager reported that Dr. Steven Ingersoll has acquired several key properties in the city for redevelopment, including the former Wolverine Knitting, 114 N. Jackson St.
The city is also facilitating the rehabilitation of the vacant commercial buildings at 108-116 South Linn Street, also owned by Dr. Ingersoll, used from 1891 until the early 2000s. Most recently the buildings have been used for storage of antiques and miscellaneous items. The City cited the previous owner numerous times because of maintenance concerns and building code violations such as broken windows and facade brick falling on the public sidewalk.
The manager also reported the city has swapped a 7,047 square foot parcel along the 11th Street Boulevard to the Bay Area Family Y for two parcels at 105 and 107 Jefferson, enabling the Y to begin construction of their new facility on Washington Avenue. ###
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