Politics & Government

Ladue Resident Granted 20 Years to Pay Ozark Bridge Taxes owed in Arnold

Ozark mobile home owner will have small payments for a longer period of time to $266,000 owed on the Ozark Bridge.

Arnold City Council members voted to allow business owner Rob Rosenfeld 20 years, instead of 10 years, to pay the $266,000 owed to the city for building the Ozark Road Bridge.

The 6-2 vote occurred at the city council meeting at City Hall, 2101 Jeffco Blvd., July 21. Ward 3 Councilmen Phil Amato and Paul Freese voted against granting the 20-year payment plan to Rosenfeld.

Rosenfeld lives in Ladue and owns Ozark Hills Park Properties, a mobile home park in Arnold, council members said.

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The longer term means Rosenfeld’s payments are smaller than the typical 10-year payment. The first payment would occur with the scheduled property tax at the end of the year.

The council approved the bridge’s total cost at $343,000 at an April 7 council meeting, and said it would be divided among the eight property owners who benefit by having the bridge nearby. 

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Ozark Hills Park Properties owes the largest amount of money because it has the greatest number of vehicles that use the bridge. The seven other property owners, who are homeowners instead of business owners, owe $9,900 each toward the bridge.

Ward 2 Councilman Bill Moritz said at the July 21 meeting he had no problems with the request but felt that Rosenfeld used a benefit intended to help low to moderate-income homeowners pay the bridge-related tax bill.

Ozark Hills Park Properties is a business instead of low to moderate-income home owner, Moritz said last Thursday.

Ward 1 Councilman Doris Borgelt said Rosenfeld should receive the same rights given to other property owners affected by the bridge’s location.

Arnold City Clerk Diane Waller, who sends the property tax bill to city residents, first raised the extended payments issue during an April 21 council meeting when a homeowner requested the 20-year payment plan that exists in the Arnold ordinance.

All property owners—who pay the related bridge taxes—are eligible for the plan if one of them is eligible, City Attorney Bob Sweeney said to the council members.

Each owner must ask for the 20-year term, but the council members can deny any applicants’ request, Sweeney said.

Rosenfeld requested the longer payment plan through a letter sent by his attorney to the city clerk’s office.

Rosenfeld was at the July 21 council meeting but left prior to the members discussing his request.

Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly gave Mr.Rosenfeld's first name as Bob instead of Rob. The article also incorrectly stated the size of the tax was due to the amount of land benefitting from the bridge. The writer and editors erred.


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