The Meeker Town Board of Trustees Monday night officially decided to no longer pursue the annexation of property around the Meeker Lake.
Trustee Lanny Thompson made the motion to not approve the annexation. Trustee Mike Melton seconded the motion. Joining them in voting for the motion were Mayor Donna Weber and Vice Mayor Aaron Head.
Several of those property owners who would have been impacted by annexation briefly attended Monday night’s meeting. Shortly after the Trustees had voted to nix the proposed annexation, they left the meeting.
There was no discussion by the Trustees prior to their vote nor did anyone from the audience speak on the issue during the Citizens participation portion of the meeting.
The annexation proposal was to annex eight square miles into the Town of Meeker in the area of Meeker Lake, including the lake which is not currently in the Town’s limits.
The Trustees’ vote Monday evening came almost a week after a public session on the annexation issue was held at the Meeker First Baptist Church on March 15.
Town Administrator Jeff Wilbourn estimated that between 90 and 100 people showed up for the public session.
About 40 minutes into that meeting, and hearing property owners from the impacted area ask questions and voice their opposition, Wilbourn asked, “Is anyone in the audience for annexation”?
Not one hand could be seen go up in favor of the issue.
He suggested then there was really no need to continue the meeting. However, those attending continued to come to the front, sign in and ask their questions until about 1½ hours after the meeting had started.
Wilbourn and the four board members, Mayor Weber, Vice Mayor Head, members Melton and Thompson and attorney James Hodgens, answered those questions. Many of them were the same inquiries.
Each of those attending who wanted to speak were given two minutes to ask questions and Trustees had about five minutes to respond if they needed it.
One woman asked would should be required to have city utilities since she didn’t need them and the answer was “no.”
Several kept inquiring about city taxes. They were told there is no city property tax unless they owned a business.
A number of the property owners were concerned if building permits would be required. They were informed they could be required if it were a permanent structure.
Some asked about being “grandfathered in,” and they were informed they could be but it also depended on what it dealt with.
Lots of those wanted to know how it was going to impact them regarding their livestock and shooting rifles and guns.
They were advised the Town of Meeker has an ordinance prohibiting the discharge of firearms within the city limits. But they were further told, “this would require a valid complaint made to police authority and prosecution by the Town.”
Many questioned the need for the annexation, since the Town reportedly didn’t have the resources to provide a number of amenities that would be required within 10 years of annexation.
Once Trustees voted on Monday night on the annexation issue, they proceeded to take up the remaining agenda items.
The first was their appointing Mike Orman as a new Trustee for the Town of Meeker. Orman was appointed unanimously to fill the vacancy following Billy Walker’s resignation in February.
Mayor Weber then administered the Oath of Office to Orman and he took his seat and joined the other Trustees.
The mayor appointed Trustees to the individual departments.
Meeker Police Officer Wade South, who is also the Animal Control Officer, presented information on the construction of a new Animal Shelter. He showed drawings of a 24½ foot by 20 feet building with solid concrete that also would have a septic system.
He informed Trustees he had a quote of $29,860 but that includes only the concrete and the building.
He told them, “I eventually would like to have a perimeter fence.”
Trustees couldn’t take a vote on that aspect of the animal shelter since the agenda didn’t call for any action on it.
They did, however, authorize donations to be accepted through the Police Department and Town Hall.
There was an action item allowed to take a vote on that and Vice Mayor Aaron Head made the motion, it was seconded and it passed 5-0.
Police Chief Trent Norton also discussed with the Trustees the need for repairs on police units and the board tabled that item.