Sec. 11. (a) The appeal may be taken by filing an original complaint in the court against the municipality within the time required by section 10(c) of this chapter, setting forth the action of the works board with respect to the assessment and stating the facts relied upon as showing an error on the part of the board. The court shall rehear the matter of the assessment de novo and confirm, reduce, or increase the assessment. If the court reduces the amount of benefit assessed or increases the amount of damages awarded, the plaintiff may recover costs. If the court confirms the amount of the assessment, the plaintiff may not recover costs. The judgment of the court is conclusive, and an appeal may not be taken from the court's judgment.

(b) If upon appeal the benefits assessed or damages awarded by the works board are reduced or increased, the municipality may, upon the payment of costs, discontinue the proceedings. It may also, through the works board, make and adopt an additional assessment against all the property originally assessed in the proceeding, or that part that is benefitted, in the manner provided for the original assessment. However, such an assessment against any one (1) piece of property may not exceed ten percent (10%) of the original assessment against it.

(c) If the municipality decides to discontinue the proceedings upon payment of costs and if assessments for benefits have already been paid, the amounts paid shall be paid back to the person or persons paying them.

[Pre-2002 Recodification Citation: 32-11-1.5-8.]

As added by P.L.2-2002, SEC.9.