Annual Assessment Passes Despite Protests

SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Sewer District Board held their annual assessment hearing after their board meeting Aug. 17.

The assessment uses the same methodology as the previous year and charges commercial and vacant property based on square footage of the lots while properties with dwelling units are charged a flat rate of $79.85.

Don Larson, representing the Committee for Sensible Wastewater Solutions, presented a petition protesting the annual assessment. Larson said that in just couple of hours he had collected around 50 signatures protesting the assessment.

Larson explained that he tried to make sure everyone who was signing the petition was a registered voter in the sewer district.

“The only ones that will be considered valid will be property owners within the district,” said District Manager Greg Robertson.

Larson asked when the 30-day protest period officially started and when they had to have all their signatures turned in.

Robertson responded that the board only needed 10-day notice after sending letters to all the property owners before holding the hearing. He cited Montana Code Annotated 7-13-2304.

The notice to landowners was mailed out Aug. 2 so Robertson said the comment period ended at the hearing.

Larson turned in the petition with signatures to the board. Robertson explained that the district would go through the list and see which signatures were valid.

Resident Colleen Krause explained that one of the reasons she was protesting was that she felt they had a lot of money in the budget and she has never seen a budget for the district.

Robertson said he could provide her with a budget. The board voted to accept the budget at their July meeting.

Hearing no further comment, the board voted to continue the assessment.