(Spirit Lake)– A newly formed committee to educate the public about a referendum residents in some Dickinson county cities will vote on next month held its first public meeting Monday evening.
“Opportunity Is Calling” explaining the purpose of the referendum to be held in conjunction with the November 4th general election. Only those residents in Arnolds Park, Okoboji, Spirit Lake, Wahpeton, Orleans and Lake Park will vote on the measure. City councils in those towns decided to put the question on the ballot. It asks whether or not the communities should pursue a feasibility study into the possible start-up of a municipal telcommunications system, including cable t.v., telephone and internet.
D-J Weber of the Community Agency, which operates a municipal system for the cities of Hartley, Sanborn, Primghar and Paullina was on a panel that presented information at the meeting. He says the communities should reconsider their plans if the November 4th referendum doesn’t get approval from atleast 70 or 80 percent of those who vote. Otherwise, he says, the venture probably wouldn’t be feasible right from the start. He says it’s important that if a municipal system is pursued, that all the communities involved work together to support and market the system, and that it offer competitive rates.
