(Spirit Lake)– The Dickinson county board of supervisors Tuesday voted four-to-nothing to approve plans, estimate of cost and form of contract for an urban renewal project in the East Okoboji Beach area.
It will consist of drainage work and reconstruction of streets utilizing low impact development techniques.
The project will be financed through a pre-existing tax increment finance district originally formed to extend sanitary sewer through the area. That project has since been completed. County Auditor Nancy Reiman reported the final payment was recently made on the project, much earlier than originally predicted. The lifetime of the TIF district has since been extended to accomodate the next project.
While no one expressed opposition at Tuesday’s public hearing, John Kruse of Storm Lake, an East Okoboji Beach property owner, urged the supervisors to move ahead with the project, saying it will go great strides in both protecting and improving water quality in East Lake Okoboji.
In addition to tax increment financing, the project has also been awarded more than 400-thousand dollars in grants.
A bidletting is set for January.
