2190                                Municipal Charters

sanitary sewers, storm water sewers, curbs, and gutters and by the con-
struction, and paving of public ways and sidewalks or parts thereof, and
to provide for the payment of all or any part of the above projects out of
the proceeds of such special assessments. The cost of any project to be paid
in whole or in part by special assessments may include the direct cost
thereof, the cost of any land acquired for the project, the interest on
bonds, notes, or other evidences of indebtedness issued in connection with
such project, a reasonable charge for the service of the administrative
staff of the Town, and any other item of cost which may reasonably be
attributed to the project.

Sec. 82-80. (Procedure). The procedure for making special assess-
ments shall be as follows: (a) The cost of the project being charged for
shall be assessed according to the front foot rule of apportionment or some
other equitable basis determined by the Board, (b) The amount assessed
against any project or improvement shall not exceed the value of the bene-
fits accruing to the property therefrom, (c) When desirable, the affected
property may be divided into different classes to be charged different rates,
but, except for this, any rate shall be uniform, (d) All special assessment
charges shall be levied by the Board by ordinance. Before levying any
special assessment charges, the Board shall hold a public hearing. The
treasurer shall cause notice to be given stating the nature and extent of the
proposed project, the kind of materials to be used, the estimated cost of the
project, the portion of the cost to be assessed, the number of installments
in which the assessment may be paid, the method to be used in appor-
tioning the cost, and the limits of the proposed area of assessment. The
notice shall also state the time and place at which all persons interested,
or their agents or attorneys, may appear before the Board and be heard
concerning the proposed project and special assessment. Such notice shall
be given by sending a copy thereof by first class mail to the person in whose
name the property is assessed for taxation purposes and by publication of
a copy of the notice at least once in a newspaper of general circulation in
the Town. The treasurer shall present at the hearing a certificate of pub-
lication and mailing of copies of the notice, which certificates shall be
deemed proof of notice, but failure of any owner to receive the mailed copy
shall not invalidate the proceedings. The date of hearing shall be set at
least ten and not more than thirty days after the treasurer shall have com-
pleted publication and service of notice as provided in this section. Follow-
ing the hearing, the Board, in its discretion, may vote to proceed with the
project and may levy the special assessment, (e) Any interested person
feeling aggrieved by the levying of any special assessment under the pro-
visions of this Charter shall have the right to appeal to the Circuit Court
for Prince George's County within ten days after the levying of any special
assessment by the Board, (f) Special assessments may be made payable
in annual or more frequent installments over such period of time and in
such manner as the Board may fix and determine. The Board shall deter-
mine on what date installments shall be due and payable. Interest may be
charged on installments at a rate or rates to be determined by the Board,
(g) All special assessment installments shall be overdue six months after
the date on which they become due and payable. If any one installment
becomes overdue, the entire amount of the special assessment shall be
deemed to be overdue. All special assessments shall be liens on the prop-
erty and may be collected in the same manner as Town taxes, (h) All
special assessments shall be billed and collected by the treasurer.