(Spirit Lake)– On a split vote, the Dickinson county board of supervisors today (Tues.) approved a joint urban renewal plan between the county and city of Spirit Lake to assist in the relocation of Ferguson Manufacturing. The board took the action following a public hearing that drew no opposition. A resolution adopting the plan was approved three-to-two with supervisors David Gottsche and Mardi Allen voting no. A subsequent first reading of an ordinance allowing for the collection of tax increment revenues was approved four-to-one with Allen voting no. Another motion to waive the second and third readings and to adopt the ordinance passed three-to-two with Gottsche and Allen voting no.
In other business, the supervisors adopted a policy and fee structure for GIS information; and they set a public hearing for May 31st to amend the current fiscal year budget. It reflects an additional 34-thousand dollars requested by the Recorder’s Office; 49-thousand for the Sheriff’s Office to cover the cost of two new patrol cars and the increased cost of fuel; an additional 33,500-dollars would go to juvenile services; with another 63-thousand to the county’s environmental program for last year’s Toxic Clean-up day. County Auditor Nancy Reiman says that money was already in the budget in the form of a grant the county received, but says it wasn’t shown in the budget as an expenditure. While the budget amendments will lower the county’s reserves, Reiman told the supervisors it shouldn’t be enough to warrant concern as long as spending is tightly controlled through the rest of the fiscal year.
The supervisors also held a public hearing on a proposal to pave 1.9 miles of 160th Street and 270th Avenue…also known as the “Hummel Road”. Grading on the project is set for next month with paving a year from now.
