A maintenance assessment is a legal method to fund a conservancy district, as describe in the Ohio Revised Code (ORC 6101.53).  As outlined in the ORC, these funds are needed to operate, maintain, improve, preserve and defray the expenses of a conservancy district.  The assessment funds are audited by the Auditor of State to ensure compliance.

All property owners within the watershed receive benefits from the improvements, either directly or indirectly, and are subject to pay the maintenance assessment.  When assessments were first levied in 1973, the benefits were based on several factors including property tax values established by the county auditor and adjusted to reflect the "fair market value", degree of flood reduction, lcoation of properties, land use, etc., to determine the appraised benefit per parcel.  A percentage is then taken of the appraised benefits to determine each parcels assessment.

Property tax values were the starting point to etablish the maintenance assessment; these values can increase or decrease over time.  As allowed by the Ohio Revised Code, the assessments may be adjust once every six years to ensure that the cost to operate the district is distributed in a fiar and equitable manner.  The current maintenance assessment uses property values established in the original appraisal of benefits book of 1973.

MCCD has the responsibility and is committed to ensure that the projects function as designed.  The assessment enables the district to ensure the safety and integrity of these structures.

When the Conservancy Appraisal Record is filed with the Court, a public notice will appear shortly thereafter in The Athens Messenger and The Athens News.  Within 30 days of the date the notice appears in these newspapers, an affected landowner may file exceptions to the report and the appraisal of benefits (see ORC 6101.33).  All exceptions will be heard not less than 40 days or more than 50 days after the publication of the notice in the newspapers, unless the Court expands that time.  The Court will then schedule a hearing at which those filing exceptions may contest the reappraisal.