No complaints on annexation proposal at hearing, vote set for Dec. 5

Havre's efforts to annex properties have been met with resistance in the past, but none were on display Thursday night when the Havre City Council held its first public hearing on the issue.

Two property owners spoke out during the 15-minute hearing, not to voice opposition but to ask questions.

"I'm not worried. I just want to be informed of what is going on. I just want to know what it all entails," Deitra Kraske, one of the 15 affected property owners, said.

The city has been trying for years to annex the properties at the edge of its limits that receive city services such as water and sewage. However, those efforts have been stymied by protests and litigation.

Property owners will also have 45 days to voice concerns, support or opposition to the proposal to the city. The council will then discuss those comments, hear additional feedback and vote on the proposal at a Dec. 5 hearing.

Havre Mayor Tim Solomon said the city had not received any complaints as of Thursday night.

During the public comment portion of the meeting Kraske wanted to know how annexation would affect her business, H&R Block.

"What is it going to do for us?" Kraske asked.

Solomon said that under annexation, the city would start providing full services to the affected property owners. Those services would include law enforcement, fire, sewer, water, road maintenance and garbage collection.

Solomon said that if the annexation proposal is approved, affected properties would start receiving city services Jan. 1. Those properties would start receiving full city garbage service July 1. Between those two dates, affected property owners could either receive city garbage collection services for a fee or continue receiving garbage collection under their current arrangements.

Craig Gates of Hill County Electric said he was not necessarily opposed to annexation, but wanted to know what his city and county taxes would be if his property was annexed.

Doug Kaercher, city clerk and finance director, said that if Gates and others brought in their tax statement he could give them an estimate of what the city taxes would be. When it comes to county taxes Gates and others would have to go to the county assessor's office.