Moorhead Center Mall owners are negotiating with the city to cut their special assessments for services such as snow removal and sidewalk clearing done last year.
Owners say their combined assessment of $119,921 - more than double the 2005 assessment - is too high and includes costs that should be covered by the city.
Moorhead City Hall is co-located with the mall. The city's share of the total special assessment bill of $146,962 is $27,041.
The private areas of the mall are owned by members of the Moorhead Center Mall Condominium Association and leased to tenants.
At the heart of the assessment issue is where privately owned property starts and stops and who benefits from the services provided, said Chad Martin, the city's operations director.
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"There are some gray areas," he said.
Kristi Ulrich, the mall's general manager who is employed by the condo association, said members hope to get the assessment lowered to around $90,000.
"We just wanted to know why there was an increase," she said.
The increase is largely because the city entered into a partnership in 2005 with the Downtown Community Partnership for additional services to spruce up downtown Moorhead, said Michael Redlinger, acting city manager.
The city contracts with the DCP to maintain flower baskets, keep sidewalks clean and remove snow from the mall area.
"That's been very well-received," Redlinger said. "We've heard very positive things about the tidiness of the sidewalks in the wintertime and the plantings."
But Ulrich said owners contend that some assessments, such as flower plantings near the City Hall entrance, should be the city's responsibility.
About 80 percent of the mall's square footage is owned by Moorhead Center Mall Partnership. Managing partner Kelly Zander said he won't comment on the special assessment issue until it's settled.
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Condo association members plan to meet today to finalize their assessment recommendations. The City Council will consider a recommendation on Nov. 5.
"There'll be some reductions" in the assessment amount, Martin said.
Owners can still contest the assessments if they feel they're too high, Martin said.
He said this is the first time mall owners have raised concerns about the assessments, but he also noted the amount has been $50,000 to $60,000 in past years.
"They've been concerned, but we've had very good meetings," he said. "It's just the process of working it through."
Readers can reach Forum reporter Mike Nowatzki at (701) 241-5528 Moorhead Center Mall owners seek relief Mike Nowatzki 20071026
