ROTHBURY — Rothbury homeowners won't see as large a property tax
increase as they could have this year after the village council voted to
set the millage rate for this year at the base rate of 4.9309 mills
rather than the 5.073 for which it had budgeted.
The higher
rate, which has been the usual one for the village in recent years,
would have required a public hearing, but the taxable value of village
properties rose by about $1 million this year, said treasurer Deb
Murphy. Because of that rise, the village will receive about $3,000 more
in tax revenue than it planned even with the lower rate. The council
determined the base rate would be sufficient and decided to adopt it.
During
discussion, trustee Mike Harris said he felt the council "has a
responsibility" to give residents a lower tax bill if it's possible to
do it while addressing village needs, and the other trustees present
agreed, as the vote passed 6-0 (Jim Fekken was absent).
The
long-discussed situation at the Greenlawn mobile home park was also
discussed, as the owner of the park, Kurt Hofstra, has recently
corresponded with the council saying he will address its concerns; the
council has brought up at several recent meetings that it believes
zoning ordinance violations have taken place, particularly with regard
to the cleanliness of the park.
Harris, who is chair of the
planning commission, said Hofstra's letter claimed he will ensure excess
garbage is picked up "within the next week," that any problem tenants
found would be served with notices to vacate, and that assessment of
vacant homes to determine any necessary improvements would soon occur.
Hofstra's letter also said he's begun a search for a full-time site
manager who would be able to address future concerns.
The
village does not appear to have a formal Memorial Day commemoration
scheduled. Longtime Grant Township clerk Bill Wagner, who arranged past
events in Rothbury, passed away in January and no one else has indicated
interest in taking up the task. The council briefly discussed a
potential participation in nearby New Era's Memorial Day parade.
