(Spirit Lake)– With one abstention, the Dickinson county board of supervisors today (Tues.) approved a resolution support the voluntary annexation of the Pioneer Beach area by the city of Orleans. About 50 property owners in that area had petitioned for the annexation, siting concern over road maintenance, taxes, water service and other issues.
The vote followed even more discussion. Supervisor Mardi Allen expressed concern over impacts to the county’s tax base. It was reported the county’s rural services portion of the budget receives about 8,800-dollars annually through that area, which has a total property tax value of about 10 million dollars.
Spirit Lake township trustees, who had previously expressed opposition to the proposal, took a much different stance today (Tues.). They expressed their approval, saying they’ll be able to keep finances in balance without the Pioneer Beach area remaining on their rolls.
After further discussion, supervisor Paul Johnson made a motion for the county to approve the annexation proposal. It passed with Johnson, Pam Jordan, Mardi Allen and david Gottsche voting yes and Wayne Northey abstaining.
The city of Spirit Lake has indicated it may try to enact a 10-year-moratorium, sayig it’s never been it’s intent recently to try to involuntarily annex that area. The city tried that about 19 years ago, but it’s efforts failed miserably.
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