2022 Survey and the Special Assessments

In 2022, Four Lakes Task Force initiated a survey of the Four Lakes Special Assessment District property owners. The 2022 survey was sent out in April, shortly after news of the $200 million state grant. It was conducted by Public Sector Consultants (PSC), an independent, nonpartisan company based in Lansing. The 2022 survey is similar to the survey completed by PSC in 2021. 
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A few key takeaways from the PSC report:

• Of respondents, 90 percent supported rebuilding the dams and restoring the lakes.
• More than half of respondents understood why a long-term operating assessment is needed to maintain the dams. 
• Only one-third of respondents said that the state has provided an appropriate level of funding, with even fewer, 20 percent, agreeing that the federal government has done so.
• One-quarter of respondents said they would not be willing to pay annually for a capital and operational assessment to complete dam repair and restoration and to maintain the dams in working order for lake preservation. However, nearly one-quarter said they would be willing to pay between $500 and $1,000 annually for these efforts.
• Lakefront owners were much more willing to pay for an assessment, with only 17 percent unwilling to pay anything, compared to 48 percent of backlot property owners.
• Lakefront property owners were most likely to say they would be willing to pay either $500 or between $500 and $1,000 annually for an assessment.
• Most of those who said they would be unwilling to pay anything for an annual assessment believe that someone else should pay for the capital improvement and maintenance of the dams.
• More than half of respondents, 56 percent, agreed or strongly agreed that FLTF is working in their best interest, while 21 percent disagreed or strongly disagreed.
• Of respondents, 61 percent agreed or strongly agreed that FLTF provides them with adequate information regarding the status of restoration efforts, while 18 percent disagreed or strongly disagreed.

Click here for the PSC Survey Final Report. 

This is a diverse district considering the number of property owners, and their willingness to pay is differentiated by the type of property they own. Likewise, the property assessment varies by property type, which is expressed through the methodology factors.

Click here to review a comparison of survey distribution vs. distribution of respondents to the PSC Survey.