Used with permission
Article by Mark Peterson, Editor
Stewartville Star, October 9, 2012
www.thinkstewartville.com
Thanks to Chris Giesen, the city of Stewartville will save a considerable amount of money beginning in 2013.
Giesen, a business development specialist for Community and Economic Development Associates (CEDA) of Chatfield, discovered a state statute that allows cities to exempt properties from real estate taxes if the city’s primary purpose is to sell the property for commercial development. Barb Neubauer, city finance director, said that by taking advantage of the statute, the city of Stewartville will save $32,000 to $35,000 per year beginning next year. That’s because the city will no longer have to pay real estate taxes on:
- five unsold lots in the Schumann Business Park.
- one and a half lots near First American Insurance Services on Main Street.
- land near the city’s north water tower near Southern Hills.
“It’s very good news,” Neubauer said. “It’s not a well-known statute. Thanks to Chris Giesen, we were able to do more research.” After Neubauer heard the news from Giesen, she did a little research of her own, calling Mark Krupski, the head of the Olmsted County Assessor’s Department. “He researched it and said that yes, we can now do that,” Neubauer said. Giesen works with the city’s Economic Development Authority and city staff in an effort to attract more businesses to Stewartville. He works one day per week in Stewartville.