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(Continued from page 24)
• The main order of business for the board is to develop the general improvement plan and then prioritize the specific projects. In order to do this, input will be needed from each township within the district. An advisory committee will be formed to help with this input. The board members will be talking to each of the nine townships within the district about having a representative of that township, either elected or appointed, to serve on the advisory committee. The townships involved are Groton, East Hanson, West Hanson, Putney, Henry, Riverside, Garden Prairie, East Rondell and Gem.
• Once the advisory committee is in place, they will work with the board members to establish a list of projects or concerns. The board will then work with an engineering company to prioritize the list.
• Rix informed the board that there is money available to the district through the state for start up costs. The South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) offers low interest loans and grants to help with engineering costs.
• The district will receive its first taxation money next year, until then they will be operating without funds. The board approved the proposed budget and tax levy. The levy request needs to be filed with the Brown County Auditors office by August 1. The district could then start receiving money as early as January 2013.
• The proposed budget for the district is $60,000. This would result in an increase in taxes to landowners within the tax area. The assessed taxes would amount to about $60 per quarter. The taxation area covers approx 160,000 acres and has a $200 million assessment.
• -Char Telkamp
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