This week, a group of property owners known as the Heron Cove Association filed an appeal with the Midland County Circuit to combat the high costs associated with the Four Lakes Task Force's Special Assessment District.
Midland and Gladwin County commissioners voted in favor of the assessments early this month to help fund the repair of the destroyed dams along the Tittabawassee river. Estimates show the assessments could cost property owners over a $1,000 a year in extra taxes over the next 35 to 40 years.
According to the association's lawyer, Michael Homier, over 700 property owners joined the appeal. In an interview with WCMU, Homier said the assessments seem to be more of a public benefit than one that exclusively benefits those making payments.
"The real problem here is that you're going to have some people who are going to lose their property as a result of these assessments that they cannot financially pay for these assessments over a 40-year period with a 5% interest rate and it will cause a foreclosure of those," Homier said. "I just don't think that that's beneficial to either the property owners or the state for that matter."
The Four Lakes Task Force provided the following statement to WCMU regarding the appeal:
At this time, we cannot specifically comment on the allegations set forth in the claim of appeal. However, we maintain the assessment rolls were prepared competently, thoroughly and in compliance with the laws of Michigan.
The FLTF lake level project consists of several phases. The repair and restoration construction phase is ongoing on all four dams and is funded by a grant provided by the State of Michigan to FLTF for the Four Lakes Special Assessment District. The project is necessary and more funding is required to complete the project to meet the obligations under Part 307 “Inland Lake Levels” and Part 315, “Dam Safety” of the Michigan Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act.
The assessments are scheduled to take effect in the winter of 2025, with project costs projected at nearly $400 million.
