The Stevens Point Finance Committee endorsed the sale Monday of up to four city-owned lots to Habitat for Humanity or another builder to construct new homes.
The city purchased homes at 2164 Elk St., 320 Fifth Ave., 316 Fifth Ave. and 908 Fifth Ave. using the State Housing Block Grant with the intent to demolish the structures and sell them to an agency to build new homes or move homes onto the vacant lots.
The city has already been involved in seven home construction projects with Habitat and CAP Services, with the cost of each lot deferred until the home is sold by the first owner.
John Gardner, community development director, said the property is taxable, and he would expect that about one house would be constructed each year.
The committee recommended an increase in compensation for the Board of Review from $25 per day to $50. The board meets from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. to hear objections about assessments from property owners. The $25 fee has been in effect since the citizen board was created in 1976.
The committee also recommended funding for a bituminous concrete resurfacing project on North Point Drive from Division Street to Michigan Avenue and accepted a 1998 audit report from Schumaker Romenesko & Associates.
The resurfacing project will cost about $143,496 and will include taking about 4 inches of concrete off the top and then milling it.
The audit indicated the city has a healthy financial condition, with the city's undesignated fund balance representing about four months of general fund expenditures, within the range of two to six months considered normal.
The report also said the two TIF Districts, 1 and 3, are collecting annual increments that should allow both to be fully paid prior to the end of their tax collection phases.
Several recommendations were made pertaining to TIF District 3, small special revenue and capital project funds no longer needed, Community Development Authority basis of accounting and deficit fund balances.