DISTRICT CREATION PROCESS

Step 1 – Public Works or Utilities Department receives petition from property owner(s) requesting district creation.

Step 2 – Public Works or Utilities Department determines a suitable boundary for requested district and prepares a plat showing the district boundary. A request is then presented to City Council for district creation.

Step 3 – After the Ordinance creating the district is passed by City Council it is published in the Grand Island Independent the following Monday and the Notice of the creation of the district is published the next day (Tuesday). Letters are then mailed to the affected property owners, after the Notice of the Creation is published, notifying citizens of the protest period, providing a copy of the newspaper clipping of the Notice published in the newspaper, and a copy of the Ordinance with plat of district attached.

Step 4 – Property owners have 30 calendar days, from publication of the notice, to protest formation of the district. A protest must be submitted to the Public Works or Utilities Department in written form.

Step 5 – When protest period is over, the percentage of property owners that protested is calculated. If more than 50 percent of property owners in the district protest, the district is dissolved. If 50 percent or less protest, the district is presented to City Council for continuation.

Step 6 – Once district continuation is approved by City Council plans and specifications are prepared a bid opening date is set. Notice to Bidders is advertised and plans and specifications are mailed to prospective bidders.

Step 7 – The lowest, responsible bid is presented to City Council for award of a contract to complete the necessary work for the district. Upon City Council approval the City and contractor enter into a formal, written contract.

Step 8 – Upon completion of the work the Certificate of Final Completion, which shows assessable amount per lot, is presented to the City Council for acceptance.

Step 9 - Approximately one month from City acceptance the City Council will sit as a Board of Equalization and verify assessments to each lot for said district. Affected property owners are mailed a copy of the Notice of Board of Equalization, Mailing Affidavit, City Council Resolution and Ordinance.

Step 10 – The City’s Finance Department is notified of the amount assessed per lot and handles the billing and collection of assessments.