• Area residents will soon decide if they want to form a new taxation district. The new district is referred to as the Mud Creek Watershed Tax District and its purpose is to help with the removal of the excess standing water in the area.
• Watershed districts are local units of government that work to solve and prevent water-related problems. The boundaries of the districts follow those of a natural watershed (an area in which all water drains to one point).
• The South Brown County Conservation District would oversee the district and held a hearing last week to see if there was enough interest in the establishment of the new tax district to hold a public vote on the matter. The board concluded that there was enough interest and set a date of July 24 for the vote. The voting will take place at The Granary north and west of Groton.
• All landowners that live in the proposed district, with the exception of Groton City residents, will have the opportunity to vote. If the ballot receives a 60 percent or higher approval, the Conservation Board will appoint members to the board to oversee the new tax district that same night.
• During the hearing Roger Rix testified that the tax district would work on several different projects to help move water out of the area.
• "The District would start with the Mud Creek project," Rix said. "We would dredge the stream and remove debris from the creek to help with the water flow. In theory, we would do this all the way to the Spink County line."

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