Jefferson Road Residents Get Reprieve on Assessments

Residents of Northfield's Jefferson Road won a victory Tuesday night in their fight to pay less to rebuild that road after city councilors voted to reduce the amount they will have to pay by a fifth of the project's total cost.

After about 10 public comments—mostly made by residents arguing that work on the busy street should be spread equally through the city—councilors voted 5-1 to reduce their share to $128,000, or about 42 percent, of the $300,000 project. It had previously been $182,000.

Councilor Betsey Buckheit was the lone dissenter. She said because residents of the busy collector streets take less benefit from their repair than the city overall, they should pay no assessment at all.

"Our road network is an asset for the entire community," she said, and "the cost should be borne by the entire city."

Councilors Kris Vohs and Rhonda Pownell both voiced concern about setting precedent for future projects despite their vote.

Vohs went on to say he worries councilors might vote to reduce assessments for projects of less benefit to the broader city.

"The flip side," Pownell said, "is that people that are on residential streets have to pay where [residents of] collectors wouldn't."

Some residents attending the meeting also opposed the construction of nearly 2,000 feet of sidewalk along the road, citing privacy concerns. They also universally opposed removing on-street parking in favor of a bicycle lane, an option for reconstruction to be decided by councilors later in the project.

Outgoing city engineer Katy Gehler said repairs on the road could be finished in early October.

Councilor Suzie Nakasian was absent.