MTAS responded to an inquiry as to whether Tennessee municipalities may utilize Sourcewell for purchasing. Sourcewell is a service cooperative created by the Minnesota legislature as a local unit of government and open to all education and government entities, as well as nonpublic schools and nonprofit organizations.

MTAS Legal Consultant Stephanie O'Hara responded to a request for information regarding a private citizen's responsibility to repair sewer lines on private property.

MTAS Legal Consultant Stephanie Allen O'Hara responded to a request for information regarding the necessity of a business license.

NOTE: Please consultant with an MTAS legal consultant before advising a city on this topic. 

MTAS was asked whether the city and the utility district can contract for the utility district to cut off the water of the city's delinquent sewer customers without the contract also providing for the utility district to handle the city's sewer service billing.

An old tax map shows the property is located in the city but the map was changed sometime within the past 10 years to show the property is outside the city line, in the county.

The City of Gustavus, Alaska, created a policy and procedure for queries to the City Attorney.

Cities across the state have been notified by the county property assessor’s offices of an increased cost of property reappraisal this year and going forward. The argument for increasing these costs is that other functions of the property assessor’s office are utilized in the reappraisal program and must be maintained in order to remain in compliance with the reappraisal program. However, based upon the statutory language and legislative history, MTAS attorneys disagree with any opinion that general property assessor expenses unrelated to a reappraisal can be charged to a city. In fact, it is our legal opinion that the legislative intent is that “local cost of reappraisal” were to be “limited to the increased cost incurred by the requirements of this section and 67-5-1602 – 67-5-1604.”

Materials from an MTAS/CTAS statewide class designed for those city and county staff with ADA compliance responsibilities. Information resources includes the extensive class handout as well as the class slide presentation.

MTAS was asked to review a contract proposed by company under which police car would be provided to city for $1 for 3 years, on the condition that company be able to place advertising on the vehicle, and purchase it back from the city for $1 after 3 year period.