(Spirit Lake)– A public hearing on proposed improvements to a drainage district in the Montgomery area drew a capacity crowd to Tuesday’s Dickinson county board of supervisors meeting.
The hearing was called off though at the last minute when the supervisors learned that a petition of remonstrance had been filed containing more than the required number of signatures of affected landowners who are opposed to the project. That means the project has to be scrapped, under drainage laws.
The project had an estimated price of 196-thousand dollars, which would have been assessed against the land owners.
An engineering study into the proposed project was instigated when the county received a petition from some landowners calling for improvements. Assistant County Attorney Lonnie Saunders says those landowners will now have to file another petition if they still want improvements made.
Although the project has been dropped for now, County Auditor Nancy Reiman says she’ll still have to levy against the district to cover the cost of the engineering study. She says notices will be going out advising landowners in the district of the additional levy.
