Hallock Council sets public hearings for abatement, TIF
By Anna Jauhola
The Hallock City Council has set two public hearing dates regarding tax relief for building housing within city limits.
During the council’s regular meeting on Monday, April 6, the council set Monday, May 4 for a public hearing regarding the tax abatement requested by Robert Carr, of Carr Construction.
Carr is building a twin home in the housing addition on the south side of Hallock. He asked for a tax abatement earlier this year to help reduce his expenses. The housing committee approved recommending the abatement for council approval at its meeting in March. The council set the public hearing for 5:30 p.m. at the regular council meeting on May 4.
The council also approved holding a public hearing for the city to create a tax increment financing (TIF) district for 5:30 p.m. on Monday, June. 1.
The TIF does not have to be contiguous. It is planned the TIF will include all of the addition south of Hallock.
It will also include several lots in blocks 5, 6 and 7 on the west side of town, six lots on blocks 16 and 18 by St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, and the old elementary school block. More could be added later.
In other business, the council:
• Heard from Police Chief Mike Docken that he has ordered and received four Kids at Play signs to place in different neighborhoods in town per resident requests. The Douglas Avenue neighborhood, in particular, has about 20 kids who play in front yards along the street. Docken also said he inventoried the worst, most unreadable street signs in town to replace. He said Newman Signs will give him a quote for 20 signs, which he hopes to get for $1,500.
• Heard from Airport Manager Jeremy Seng the lowest bid for the taxiway project came in about $20,000 under the engineer’s estimate, which was $385,049. The council took no action on the bids as KLJ Engineering is currently applying for the Federal Aviation Administration grant for the project.
• Heard from Docken the city received a $5,000 grant from TC Energy to help toward the cost of replacing the 1942 siren system. He is also waiting to hear from Enbridge on his application for a $10,000 grant for the system.
• The council will continue to meet in person at the Hallock City Hall for its monthly meetings. However, they are limiting the meetings to 10 people and live streaming the meetings on Facebook for the public to watch.
