Dilworth adopts proposed levy

The Dilworth City Council adopted a proposed property tax levy Monday for 2006 and heard from a group of residents angry about a proposed bike/pedestrian trail.

Council members also learned that a potential land dispute with Moorhead has been put to rest.

Dilworth's proposed 2006 levy of $776,601 would be an 8.3 percent increase over last year's levy.

However, growth in the city's overall tax base means many property owners would see little change in their tax bills, City Administrator Ken Parke said.

The council cannot pass a final levy until after a hearing set for Dec. 19.

On the bike trail issue, council members heard from people upset over the idea of an 8-foot-wide path that would run along Fourth Avenue Northeast.

As now proposed, the path would wind along the north side of the avenue from First Street to Third Street and on the south side of the avenue from Third Street to Seventh Street.

Federal funds would cover 80 percent of the project as long as the path remains 8 feet wide, but many of the 20 or so residents who attended Monday's meeting urged the council to consider a narrower trail.

"Eight-foot wide? We wouldn't have any front yard left," said Eloise Deihl.

Neighbors Carmel Froemke and Dave Fortin urged that something be done in the area.

"The safety issue is huge. You're taking your life in your hands every time you're on there," Fortin, said, referring to Fourth Avenue Northeast.

"I really hope it doesn't take the death of a child to make people realize we need this," Froemke said.

Dwight Thompson urged the council to consider running the trail a bit farther south, along an existing drainage ditch.

Council members said it's possible a modified plan can be adopted that might include a continuous 4-foot-wide sidewalk through the Fourth Avenue corridor, with a wider path running along the edge of the drainage ditch.

While no cost estimates have been developed for the project, the price tag would have to be capped at $150,000 if federal funds are used, said Steve Grabill, a representative of the city's engineering consultant, Ulteig Engineers.

Grabill advised the council that decisions will have to be made soon for the bike trail project to move forward.

Dilworth is also looking at developing a bike trail in the area of Eighth Avenue Northeast. City Planner Stan Thurlow said decisions also need to be made soon regarding those plans.

On another matter, Parke told council members that Dilworth can make no claim to land recently annexed by the city of Moorhead.

The status of the land was in question because at one time it was officially part of Dilworth, and no one could explain why it suddenly fell from tax roles about 60 years ago.

The 75 acres of land that had been in question are along 34th Avenue South in Moorhead.

Parke said a search of tax records and the minutes of town council meetings conducted with the help of Clay County Historical Society Archivist Mark Peihl showed that Dilworth passed a resolution in 1940 detaching the land from the city.

Readers can reach Forum reporter Dave Olson at (701) 241-5555