The Board of Supervisors voted on Tuesday, August 21, 2007, to approve the refund of special assessments that the County has collected from citizens for the Widewater Special Service District.

“The circumstances have changed in the Widewater area over the past several years, and the Board felt that it was only fair to return the money,” said Jack Cavalier, Chairman of the Board of Supervisors. “We will give every property owner who paid the assessment an opportunity to get their money back.”

The Board established the Widewater Special Service District in October 1995 to fund the Widewater Parkway and improvements in the Widewater area. At the time, the County anticipated that significant development in the Widewater area would occur and transportation would have to be improved. Since then, however, 1,100 acres of land in the Widewater area was transferred to the Commonwealth of Virginia for a state park, which resulted in a change in the transportation requirements for the area. In 2006, the Board set the assessment rate for the district at zero and later abolished the district.

The County will mail a Notice of Refund of Widewater Special Service District Assessments and an application for a refund to the owners of approximately 263 property parcels who were billed for the special assessment, along with a list of Frequently Asked Questions. The County has collected a total of $514,977 from 1997, when collection of the assessments began, through 2005.

Any property owner who paid the Widewater Special Service District Assessment for any year between 1997 and 2005 is eligible for a refund. Individuals need to complete an application for a refund. Applications are available at the Stafford Treasurer’s Office, located in the Stafford Administration Center, 1300 Courthouse Road. Applications can also be found on the County’s Web site. The application should be returned to the Treasurer’s Office or faxed to (540) 658-8554. It will take approximately 30 days after eligibility is established for the refund to be given to the applicant. Refund checks will be mailed to applicants.

The deadline to apply for a refund is February 29, 2008. For more information, individuals should call the Treasurer’s Office at (540) 658-8701.

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