SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Sewer District Board will be discussing and possibly selecting an assessment method for the 2022 fiscal year at their May 20 meeting.
At last month’s meeting the Board chose three assessment methods to consider and have published on their website for the public to look up how each method impacts their property. A link to the document can be found on the District’s website seeleysewer.org
The first method, listed in the first column, is the “equal” method. This means that every lot within the District would pay $245.75 for the year regardless of its size, use or value. Landowners with multiple lots would pay this amount for each lot they own.
The second method is the “land market value.” This spreads the assessment based on the Montana Department of Revenue’s valuation of the raw land with no improvements. This method was used last year and drew a lot of criticism from landowners along the lake because their land is valued so much higher than other areas. Many lakefront landowners paid more than 10 times what other residential properties paid.
The third method splits how the property is used into three categories: residential, commercial and vacant. Some properties will have a portion in more than one category based on the percentage of area for the different uses. The assessment is then spread over the entire District based on the area of each lot in each category. The Board can then adjust the ratio of the budget each category pays.
The meeting is May 20 at 6 p.m. via ZOOM. The agenda and information on how to participate will be posted on the District’s website seeleysewer.org.
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