City to annex 26 properties

Havre City Council gave preliminary approval Monday to a proposal to annex 26 properties into the city.

The property is residential, small business, Havre School District-owned and Montana Department of Transportation-owned land.

A public hearing on the proposal will be held at 6:30 p. m., prior to the Oct. 15 council meeting.

Mayor Tim Solomon said he didn't anticipate any controversy in the annexation proposal. All of the land owners petitioned the city for annexation.

The annexation does not include any of the large businesses that filed suit to block the major annexation proposal that would have extended the city limits beyond Walmart to the west.

To settle a lawsuit filed by some businesses, the city agreed to drop that annexation proposal and start fresh.

Solomon said Tuesday morning that the city has not decided just how to pursue that annexation process henceforth.

In other business Monday night:

• Council agreed to add the cost of cutting weeds from 26 properties to the tax bills of several property owners.

The city often clears areas of weeds and overgrown grass, city officials said. Property owners are billed, and if they don't pay, the money is tacked onto the property tax bills.

Solomon said property owners can not be located.

In all, property owners were assessed $2,325.

• Council gave Montana State University-Northern permission to hang banners on city-owned light poles on 11th and 13th streets.