GALIEN TOWNSHIP – NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING – PROPOSED CREATION OF A ONE YEAR PUBLIC SAFETY SPECIAL ASSESEMENT DISTRICT

GALIEN TOWNSHIP
BERRIEN COUNTY, STATE OF MICHIGAN
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING – PROPOSED CREATION OF A ONE YEAR PUBLIC SAFETY SPECIAL ASSESSMENT DISTIRCT
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Galien Township Board in Berrien County, Michigan, intends to proceed pursuant to Act 33 of the Public Acts of Michigan of 1951 (“Act 33”) and Act 368 of the Public Acts of Michigan of 1978 (“Act 368”) to provide for the maintenance and operation of emergency services and ambulance operations within the Township and to defray the cost of such services, including purchasing, operating, and/or contracting in the Township for such emergency services, by special assessment on the lands and premises in the Township to be benefited, except for lands and premises exempt from the collection of taxes under the Michigan General Property Tax Act. The Township Board has resolved its intention to proceed pursuant to Act 33 and Act 368 to provide these emergency public safety and ambulance services in the Township with a ONE YEAR SPECIAL ASSESSMENT, to appear for one year on the Township Tax Roll, being on the December 2021 tax bill. The Township Board has tentatively determined that some or all of the cost of the emergency services and ambulance service shall be specially assessed against each of the lots and parcels of land located in the proposed Emergency Services, Public Safety, and Ambulance Special Assessment District (the “Special Assessment District”). The proposed Special Assessment District shall be comprised of all lots and parcels of property located within the boundaries of Galien Township. A map of the tentative proposed special assessment district is as follows:
MAP

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Galien Township Board will hold a public hearing on Wednesday, August 18, 2021, at 6:30 p.m. in the Township Hall, 305 Kiley Drive, Galien, Michigan 49113, to hear and consider comments and objections to the estimate of costs, the creation of a special assessment district, the special assessment district tentatively designated, and defraying the expenses of the special assessment district on the property to be especially benefited, and all other matters relating to the creation of the proposed special assessment district.
TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that there is a right of referendum available to property owners under Act 33 on the question of defraying the expenses of Services by special assessment.
TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the estimates of cost for the emergency public safety and ambulance services are on file with the Township Clerk for public examination.
TAKE ADDITIONAL NOTICE THAT AFTER THE CREATION OF THE DISTRICT, THERE WILL BE A ONE YEAR EMERGENCY PUBLIC SAFETY AND AMBULANCE ASSESSMENT ISSUED ON THE TOWNSHIP’S TAX ROLLS AS APPROVED BY THE TOWNSHIP BOARD. PROPERTY SHALL NOT BE ADDED TO THE PROPOSED SPECIAL ASSESSMENT DISTRICT AND THE ACTUAL INCREMENTAL COSTS SHALL NOT BE INCREASED BY 10% OR MORE OVER THE ORIGINAL ESTIMATE WITHOUT FURTHER NOTICE AND PUBLIC HEARING. HOWEVER, IF A LOT OR PARCEL IS PERMANENTLY COMBINED AFTER THE SPECIAL ASSESSMENT DISTRICT HAS BEEN CREATED, APPROVED AND IS IN PLACE, THEN IN THAT SITUATION, THE SPECIAL ASSESSMENT SHALL BE ADJUSTED FOR THAT PROPERTY TO REFLECT THE EXISTENCE THEREAFTER OF ONLY ONE LOT OR PARCEL. LIKEWISE, IF A LOT OR PARCEL IS SPLIT OR DIVIDED AFTER THE SPECIAL ASSESSMENT DISTRICT HAS BEEN CREATED, APPROVED AND IS IN PLACE, EACH OF THE NEW RESULTING LOTS OR PARCELS IN THAT SITUATION SHALL BE CONSIDERED A SEPARATE LOT OR PARCEL FOR PURPOSES OF THE SPECIAL ASSESSMENT TO BE APPLIED.
Periodic redeterminations of the costs of the Services may be necessary, without a change in the Special Assessment District, and in that event, such redeterminations may be made by the Township Board without further notice to record owners or parties in interest in the lands in the Special Assessment District, in accordance with the provisions of said Act 33 (unless the actual incremental amounts assessed exceed the estimate thereof by 10% or more, in which case notice and public hearing will occur).
TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that a property owner or person in interest must either appear and object at the public hearing or submit a letter of appearance and objection to the Township prior to the public hearing in order to preserve the person’s right to appeal the special assessment to the Michigan Tax Tribunal. A record owner of land may appeal a special assessment by filing a written appeal with the Michigan Tax Tribunal within 30 days after written confirmation of the special assessment roll.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
Dated: August 12, 2021 JENNIFER RICHTER, Township Clerk
305 Kiley Drive
Galien, MI 49113
269-545-8135
Email: jen.galientownship@gmail.com