UPDATE: Eric Hagen has posted a detailed ABC Newspapers report titled, "Ramsey delaying road franchise fees decision"
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At yesterday's council work session and televised meeting, the council considered Charter Commission action including a statement into the record from Commission Chairman Joe Field in which he stated a Charter Commission collective belief that constraints upon possible future overuse of franchise fees should exist in the Charter as well as in any specific ordinance passed by council for instituting franchise fees earmarked for road grid upkeep purposes.
The council mood appeared to favor franchise fees happening. The council appeared amenable to protection against future franchise fee overuse being set within the Charter, with a joint Charter Commission and Council work session to be planned and scheduled soon.
The specific ordinance language before the council for initiating charging of franchise fees was tabled/postponed pending opportunity to hold such a joint work session.
It now appears most unlikely that use of and reliance upon special assessment will continue as in the past, with the franchise fee approach to take its place.
Details of thinking are close to what has been posted by the city in council agendas for the work session and general televised meetings which were held yesterday.