Just the Facts

We received many questions during the webinar and did our best to answer as many as possible. Please review the special assessment FAQ page where many questions are addressed.
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There are some questions, no matter how many times they are asked or stated, that the answer won’t change.

IT IS:

• FALSE that the assessments can increase by 10% each year.
  • We are not sure where that number came from. Any increase in the computation of costs of the project would need to be approved by the counties.
  • The county already approved the future new project costs and 5-year operations and maintenance costs. Costs beyond that need to go through the public hearing process.
• TRUE the lakes are county-owned public lakes.
  • There is no path forward for individual communities to buy these dams and lakes.
  • Properties that allow public access, such as the DNR, marinas or Midland Sanford Park are assessed in the district.
  • Approximately 45% of the capital project is funded by state funds.
  • The counties and townships participate in the Operations & Maintenance Assessment.
• TRUE there is one project and one lake level special assessment district.
  • A property on one lake will receive the same assessment as a property on any other lake with the same benefit.
• FALSE to say Secord is paying for Wixom.
  • There has been no capital assessment to date. The $200 million was granted to FLTF for the Four Lakes Special Assessment District.
  • There was no hope of bringing lake levels up on any of these lakes without the county's intervention.
  • It is simply a false narrative and a distraction to argue about which lakes get more of the state grant. There has been no proposal from any lake community to suggest they can bring these lakes up on their own.
• TRUE the lakes are for recreation.
  • They are not flood control dams today and they were never designed for flood control.
  • It is not economically feasible to place hydropower on them.

Other Sources of Information
For a guide to some of the material that we feel is relevant to the discussion:

• FLTF posts its annual audited financials here. The 2023 financial statements will be posted in a few weeks.

Review a thorough breakdown of costs in the Capital Assessment computation of costs and Operations & Maintenance Assessment computation of costs in the Four Lakes Task Force Document Library.