(Fairmont) – The Fairmont City Council has unanimously approved changes to the city’s special assessment policy following concerns about fairness and flexibility. The revisions allow the council to deviate from its assessment guidelines in unique circumstances, provided it complies with state law. They also establish a standard 36-foot street width for calculating reconstruction assessments. Councilor Britney Kawecki questioned whether the changes provide enough safeguards against favoritism, particularly as the city works through a dispute involving assessments for the Lake Avenue project. The city attorney said state law requires similar properties to be treated consistently. The new policy applies to projects beginning after October first, while previously approved projects will follow the 2024 policy. In other business, the council discussed temporarily closing the municipal liquor store on Sundays due to staffing shortages and approved an October 26th public hearing on assessments for the city’s 2026 street overlay projects.
