Property Owners Approve Park Maintenance Fees

Property owners in a Monrovia mail-in election have approved the continuation of annual assessments to raise $135,000 for park maintenance.

Mayor Robert T. Bartlett announced late Tuesday that, with all the ballots tallied, property owners favored the levy 56% to 44%.

Votes are allotted according to how much property is owned. Big property owners, or those paying a total of $34,471, supported the district’s continuation while those paying a total of $27,183 opposed it, city officials said. Less than half the ballots sent out were returned.

City officials will assess each single-family household $7.37 annually and each commercial property owner $7.37 for each 5,000 square feet of property. The rate is now lower for homeowners, who used to pay $8.25 annually.

Previously, the City Council approved the assessments, but a state initiative passed in November requires that property owners approve such levies.

Tito Hess, public works analyst, said the funds will help maintain seven city parks--Canyon, Grand Avenue, Julian Fisher, Library, Olive, Recreation and Rotary.