With township and city budgets struggling around the state, the Clarkston City Council received bad news at the Aug. 22 meeting.
The City has to pay $8,911.56 to Consumer’s Energy for reimbursed property taxes the State Tax Commission recently ruled were not accurate.
According to City Manager Art Pappas, the State Tax Commission ruled the taxes were calculated appropriately and Consumer’s Energy overpaid Clarkston, leaving the city no option but to pay back the money.
The council expressed concern over paying the money back and council member Steve Wylie asked city attorney Tom Ryan about options besides paying.
Ryan reminded the council Consumer’s Energy chose to forgive overassessed taxes from 1997 to 1999 and waived the interest and penalties on the money owed for the last five years, making the current payment much lower than what could be charged.
Pappas did not have specific figures of what Clarkston would have owed, but agreed the total was higher.
With a Dec. 1 due date lingering, Pappas said the payment will come from Clarkston’s reserve funds which totaled over $60,000 at the beginning of 2005. He was unsure if the village would pay Consumer’s Energy directly or if Oakland County would pay with direct reimbursement from Clarkston.
In other news, the council invited Dick Carlisle of Carlisle/Wortman Associates, Inc. to the meeting as they consider allowing his company to take over Clarkston’s planning services. Pappas said McKenna and Associates currently handles planning duties, but the council is considering hiring another firm.
Pappas said if selected, Carlisle/Wortman would review the master plan in conjunction with the planning commission and make any necessary changes to update the plan, as well as offer services on other planning issues.
During previous meetings council members expressed concerns about Carlisle/Wortman’s ability to transition from dealing with a large entity like Independence Township to addressing the unique needs of the village and its historic district.
Carlisle said his firm represents a diverse range of communities many of which have historic districts and similar desires to preserve them. He also said having an office in Independence Township is an asset to working with Clarkston.