(Spirit Lake)– After a lot of discussion, the Dickinson county board of supervisors Tuesday approved a request from the board of directors of Historic Arnolds Park, Incorporated to adjust the value of the Arnolds Park Amusement Park back to its base value of slightly more than 5.3 million dollars for the next two years.
The request was the result of an order from the Iowa Department of Revenue that increased valuations of commercial properties in Dickinson county by 13 percent. HAPI board members say the additional tax asking would have been too much of a financial burden, and that they didn’t learn of the notice until after a deadline to appeal had passed.
Arnolds Park resident Rich Meyers told the supervisors they should have been aware of representations being made during the initial “Save The Park” campaign indicating the value of the park would be frozen at 5.3 million dollars.
Supervisor Mardi Allen said it would be wrong to blame the supervisors for letting the situation happen, saying to her recollection no such promise for a valuation freeze was ever put in writing.
Allen suggested the supervisors, Arnolds Park City Council and Historic Arnolds Park, Incorporated board members meet to try to figure out just what agreements ARE on paper.
