ST. JOHN'S, N.L. — Victoria Blagdon was initially delighted to hear upgrades would be made to the sewer system, road and sidewalks in front of her house.
She wasn’t so delighted months later when she received a bill from the City of St. John’s for almost $10,000 for civic assessment costs associated with the work.
“There was an emptiness in the pit of my stomach. There was an immediate gut reaction of complete disbelief,” said Blagdon.
“But that was quickly followed by anger. Just talking about it now, my body is still physically reacting to it. I’ve almost got chills.”
Blagdon’s was one of 51 households on Bay Bulls Road, in the Kilbride area of the city, billed following the work done last summer. The project included the installation of a new storm sewer system, storm laterals to each property, widening of the road, including new asphalt, new sidewalks, and curb and gutter on both sides of the road.
The three-phase project cost a total of more than $9.2 million — $1.766 million for Phase 1, $2.477 million for Phase 2 and $5 million for Phase 3. Work was completed in September.
It was joint funding initiative between the provincial government and the City of St. John’s, with each paying 46.5 per cent of the cost.
Residents in the 51 households impacted by the upgrades would be on the hook for seven per cent.
Blagdon figured she’d receive a minor charge for the improvements — not the big bills she got.
She immediately called Ward 5 Coun. Wally Collins and the project manager to express her disgust.
“I said, ‘You’ve got to be kidding me! You’re giving him a $10,000 bill in the middle of COVID when my husband just lost his job, and just before Christmas? Are you serious?’” Blagdon said.
"‘You’ve got to be kidding me! You’re giving him a $10,000 bill in the middle of COVID when my husband just lost his job, and just before Christmas? Are you serious?’” — Victoria Blagdon
She was informed a payment plan could be set up, with payments beginning in November of this year, but that did little to relieve her stress.
Blagdon said she was told that if she didn’t comply and make efforts to pay the amount, she would be charged compound interest and that a lien would be put on her house.
“It was pretty scary,” she said. “It was frightening to have this thrust upon us and have absolutely no recourse.”
She said she’s angry that the city had no public consultation and gave residents no say in the decision-making process for the project.
“If I’m paying $10,000, I want my voice heard,” she said. “But we had no input whatsoever.”
Her neighbour, Dolores Hutton, who’s lived in her home for 18 years, was even more shocked to receive a bill for $5,400, seeing she didn’t even receive notice she would have to pay anything.
“I was shocked,” said Hutton, who said the bill was broken down for storm sewer, street improvement and sidewalks. “I was not expecting that.”
When Hutton checked with neighbours, they were “quite alarmed as well,” by the bills they received. Calls to the city’s assessment department were not returned, she said.
Hutton said, “I believe a strong argument can be made that this is a form of double taxation,” she said.
She’s also angry there is no avenue to raise objections or concerns over the ultimate costs.
When The Telegram contacted Collins, he said he only received two or three complaints prior to the work being done, but has received several since residents received their bills.
“It’s a touchy thing when you’re charging for assessments,” he said.
According to municipal legislation, property owners can be assessed a portion of the cost of improvements to infrastructure if that improvement, “makes the property have an enhanced value.”
“It ups their values. They can’t argue with it …,” said Collins, who said developed areas pay more for lots because such infrastructure is already in place. “That’s going on all over the city. That’s not new to Kilbride.”
The city’s website states the city’s assessment policy, in place since 1989, applies to the upgrading of existing infrastructure and the installation of infrastructure works on city streets.
Civic assessment rates are revised and approved annually before the start of construction season. Annual rates are adjusted annually to consider changes in construction costs. Collins said the costs went up 20 per cent from the previous year.
“It ups their values. They can’t argue with it … That’s going on all over the city. That’s not new to Kilbride.” — Wally Collins
The city’s assessment policy instructs staff to inform residents before work begins in their neighbourhood by sending a notice to all property owners who are in the improvement zone.
Collins insists all residents were notified well in advance of the work starting and said public meetings are not required for such projects.
“Those assessments went out nine months ago, in April,” said Collins, who noted many residents pushed to get the work completed. “So, they had all summer to more or less protest it.”
Collins said residents can appeal their assessments, “but I don’t think they’re going to get anywhere with it.”
That doesn’t sit well with Blagdon and Hutton, who say the city should be more open and transparent to homeowners and give them ample time to raise objections prior to the work being done.
“The public needs to be aware of this,” said Hutton, who was planning to canvass neighbours with Blagdon about the issue.
“When you see someone dig a hole, they’re digging a hole in your pocket. too.”
Rosie Mullaley covers municipal politics in St. John's
Twitter: @TelyRosie
