County will replace abatement program

The Marion County Commis?sion decided Monday to aim for the first of the year to replace its current neighborhood revitalization plan with a new one that will pay back the abatement refunds for real-estate improvement in five years rather than 10.

In meeting with county department heads Jeannine Bateman, treasurer, Susan Robson, county attorney, Carol Maggard, clerk, and Cindy Magill, appraiser, the commissioners said their aim in rewriting the current plan is to streamline it and make it more responsive.

The new plan would increase application fees from $25 to $50, but would also attempt to shorten the time from two or three months to one month for returning approved tax amounts to participants.

Robson said even though the county would like to change the plan the first of the year, it must have state approval to do so.

Magill said it also must have replies back from all taxing units within the county as to whether they wish to participate in the program, and that usually is a slow process.

The department heads said the county can?t legally stop the old program to wait until the new one is in place, and the commissioners agreed.

Commissioner Dan Holub said, ?We can?t just pull the rug out from under someone. We must honor that they are making a decision to build based on this being in place.?

Commissioners said the final plan may more easily drop participants from the program if they are late with paperwork. They have had to consider requests for extensions, and departments have had to do extra work just because participants haven?t turned things in on time.

Robson said, ?At some point a person has to be responsible for their own business.?

Commission Chairman Randy Dallke said he wants to include a clause in the plan that in the event of a major disaster that destroys most property, therefore wiping out the tax base, the program would be automatically discontinued.

After a 10-minute executive session with Robson for attorney/client business, the commissioners announced they were paying a $4,500 settlement of wage.

They voted 2-0, in the absence of Commissioner Bob Hein, to pay $3,000 to help the city of Durham with a water issue.

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