91.758 Economic improvement plan -- Annual budget -- Levy and collection of assessments -- Appeal -- Lien. (1) Upon the effective date of the ordinance establishing the management district, a board of directors shall be appointed and shall proceed to implement the economic improvements contained in the ordinance adopted by the legislative body. (2) As soon as practicable after its appointment, and each year thereafter as provided by ordinance, the board of directors shall develop a plan for economic improvements within the management district and shall prepare an annual detailed budget for the costs of providing economic improvements and shall submit the budget to the legislative body for its approval. (3) Upon approval of the annual budget, the board of directors shall: (a) Submit the budget to the Department for Local Government as provided in KRS 65A.020; (b) Publish the economic improvement plan pursuant to KRS Chapter 424; and (c) Mail by first-class mail to each affected property owner a description of the plan, the fair basis of assessment to be utilized, the estimated cost to the property owner, and the ratio that the cost to each property owner bears to the total cost of the economic improvements. (4) The ordinance establishing the management district shall provide a procedure for the annual collection of the assessment for the economic improvements. (a) The board of directors may be directed to annually prepare and mail by first class mail to an owner of each parcel of real property the annual assessment, and to establish due dates and penalties and interest, if any, for delinquent payment; or (b) The annual assessment may be collected in the same manner, at the same times, and by the office authorized by law for the collection and enforcement of general city, consolidated local government, or urban-county taxes, in which case the collector of taxes shall make regular remittances of the amounts collected to the board of directors. The penalties and interest for delinquent taxes may be applied to delinquent assessments, or separate penalties and interest may be imposed; however, no discount shall be provided for early payment. (c) Notwithstanding the method of collection for the assessment that is adopted, any affected property owner shall be afforded the right to contest the amount of assessment or the inclusion of his or her property. The contest shall be filed with the board of directors within thirty (30) days of the receipt of the assessment. The property owner shall have the right to appear before the board of directors and present evidence. A record shall be made of the proceedings and the board of directors shall render a written decision. The decision of the board of directors may be appealed to the Circuit Court of the county in which the city, consolidated local government, or urban-county is located. (5) The amount of any outstanding assessment on any property, and accrued interest and other charges, shall constitute a lien on the property. The lien shall take precedence over all other liens, whether created prior to or subsequent to the assessment, except a lien for state and county taxes, general municipal, consolidated local government, or urban-county taxes, and prior improvement assessments, and shall not be defeated or postponed by any private or judicial sale, by any mortgage, or by any error or mistake in the description of the property or in the names of the owners. No error in the proceedings of the city, consolidated local government, or urban-county legislative body or the board of directors of the management district shall exempt any property from the lien for the economic improvement assessment, or from payment thereof, or from the penalties or interest thereon, as herein provided. Effective: March 21, 2013 History: Amended 2013 Ky. Acts ch. 40, sec. 36, effective March 21, 2013. -- Amended 2006 Ky. Acts ch. 47, sec. 2, effective July 12, 2006. -- Amended 2005 Ky. Acts ch. 119, sec. 5, effective June 20, 2005. -- Amended 1996 Ky. Acts ch. 123, sec. 5, effective July 15, 1996. -- Created 1990 Ky. Acts ch. 297, sec. 5, effective July 13, 1990.